SUPER DODD
Jake beats Naseeb on wellmatched show, writes Daniel Herbert
WARRINGTON outfit Phoenix Fire outfit staged an open show at the town’s Eagle Sports and Social Club on October 17 – and, remarkably, all 18 bouts (one skills) went off as scheduled.
There was no soft matching: of the 16 home boxers involved, only five won. And only one stoppage all night shows how competitive the action was. Host club flyweight Imad
Naseeb was given an ambitious match against Jake Dodd from Shotton in North Wales. Last season Naseeb won the NAGBCS, while Dodd won the Tri-nations, beating English champion Hamza Mehmood.
It was a contrast in physiques: Naseeb tall and slim, Dodd shorter and powerfully built. But while Naseeb edged the first, after that Dodd’s intelligent aggression paid full dividends as he got inside, worked the body and harried the local all over the ring.
Naseeb received a standing eight count and a warning for holding in each of the last two rounds - but showed guts to reach the final bell, where Dodd was a worthy unanimous winner.
Phoenix Fire fared better in the other senior bout, also over threethrees, when Casey Brown stayed composed and maintained a tight defence to unanimously outscore Redcar’s Bobby Dalton.
This bout was made at 72kgs but Brown is slimming back down to welter (69kgs), at which weight he was Merseyside champion two seasons ago.
Also impressing for the hosts were Kory Smith, a southpaw Schoolboy who displayed nice movement in defeating Corben
Beecher (Tommy Coyles), and “Ginger Ninja” Niall Gallagher, who worked non-stop to outpoint George Birkett in an allsouthpaw Youth contest.
Birkett was one of a five-strong Rotunda contingent who returned to Liverpool with four victories, most notably from Louis Dwyer, a stylish 60kgs junior southpaw. Louis is the grandson of Pat Dwyer, the 1965 ABA light-middle 71 kgs champ who became a top pro.
RESULTS
Phoenix Fire (unless stated): Minor: JOSH LINDLEY outpd Harry Davies (Rotunda). Schoolboy: Morgan Maher outpd by PATRICK REILLY (Maes G) unan; Preston Cosgrove outpd by ALFIE LEWIS (Rhyl Youth) split; JACK ELLIS outpd Dion Roberts (Maes G) unan; Junior Nelson outpd by GERARD WHITTLE (Rotunda) unan; KORY SMITH outpd Corben Beecher (Tommy Coyles) unan; Kane Cullen outpd by LOGAN WILLIAMS (Maes G) unan.
Junior Female: MOLLY MAHER outpd Paige Howarth (Majestic) unan. Junior Male: Ralph Serkals stpd by ANEEK HUSHEN (Halliwell) 2nd; Jack Roberts outpd by BEN LANGSTAFF (Rotunda) split; Ronnie Tregilgas outpd by LOUIS CLARKE (Majestic) unan; Matthew Montero (Maes G) outpd by LOUIS DWYER (Rotunda) unan; Ethan Cain lost to LUKE CAREN (Derby Lane) disq 2nd.
Youth: NIALL GALLAGHER outpd George Birkett (Rotunda) unan; Kirk Smith outpd by JACK BOWDEN (Redcar) split. Senior Elite: Imad Naseeb outpd by JAKE DODD (Shotton) unan; CASEY BROWN outpd Bobby Dalton (Redcar) unan.