KNUCKLE BUSTER

Bizarre accident rules First out of a lively bill, writes Andrew Wake

OLDHAM

JULY 16

★★★★☆ WHOLE SHOW

AS LATE pull-outs go, Jimmy First’s was one of the more bizarre. The lightweight was due to headline this Frank Duffin promotion, but was forced to withdraw on the day of the action after sustaining a broken knuckle in a Halifax car park. Attempting to retrieve a dropped pound coin, First had his hand run over by a car.

Hamed Ghaz [inset] instead topped the bill and didn’t disappoint as he launched waves of body attacks to see off Southampton-based Russian Rustem Fatkhullin 59-55 on the card of referee Andy Brook. Ghaz now moves forward to an English lightweight title tilt against Myron Mills in the autumn.

Few spectators would complain about seeing Jabran Bilal and Joe Hardy lock horns again after their six-rounder. Bilal was the classier of the two, landing shots from range before coming inside to target the body. However, Hardy never gave up and the final two sessions turned into a see-saw battle. Darren Sarginson scored it 59-56.

Craig Miles slipped to a shock 37-39 decision against Vasif Mamedov. Miles’s tenacity was commendable, but he simply walked on to too many right hands. Mr Brook officiated.

The same referee also oversaw Connor Lawrence’s 40-36 victory over Robbie Chapman. Lawrence landed the better blows, although Chapman did enough to make each round competitive.

Tauseef Suleman had a successful debut as he outboxed John Spencer en route to a 40-36 verdict from Mr Sarginson. Body work was the order of the day for Charlie Martin Stuart as he put Blackburn’s Naeem Ali to the sword. The Huddersfield man targeted the torso before switching upstairs, forcing Ali to retire after the second. Mr Sarginson officiated.

It appeared Fezan Shahid had done enough against Nabil Ahmed, but Mr Brook’s 39-39 score wasn’t a complete shock. Shahid controlled the opening two sessions and was doing well in the third before allowing Ahmed to rally in that session and then take the fourth.