River getting ready for Show time!
EXCITING Coventry middle River Wilson-bent has a busy time ahead. The 30-year-old, who has fought the best, boxes at the Excelsior Club, Cannock, on May 23. After that he’ll be included on GBM’S major show – in his home city – in June.
I’ve a lot of time for River. He has an all-action style, is brave and one of the game’s nice guys, to boot.
His last performance, on March 9, was something of a concern. The former Midlands champ got drawn into a thrilling eight-round scrap with two-fight novice SA Smith and had to settle for a draw.
I had River nicking it, but I expected a fairly undemanding night’s work for the Sky Blue favourite. Instead of sticking to his boxing, River elected to slug it out with a slugger.
Mind you, Smith, from Bodmin Moor, looked a real handful. If tourists have spotted a beast on that wild corner of Cornwall, it was probably him.
“Obviously, I wasn’t happy with that performance,” River’s manager Jon Pegg admitted. “There were a few issues, but I don’t make excuses about issues.
“If that happens again, we’d have to have a serious chat. I thought he just nicked it by a round, but the other kid was a game kid and he may go on to win some useful fights. There were a couple of issues, but you know how boxers are? Boxers are too brave – they just get on with things.”
Wilson-bent’s
21-bout career is crammed with exciting performances and big names.
Back in 2020, he took the Midlands title by poleaxing Troi Coleman with one of the best punches I’ve seen in a very long time.
He went on to controversially draw, then lose a split decision to Tyler Denny for the English belt. Denny is now European champ.
World ranked Hamzah Sheeraz was simply too powerful, but River gave America’s former outstanding amateur Ammo Williams plenty of problems. Last October he was outpointed by Ryan Kelly for the Commonwealth silver title in a 10-rounder that was later named Midlands fight of the year. That’s some fighting CV. “We’re looking for a tick-over fight in Cannock,” said Pegg, “and something significant on the GBM show.
“I think River can still win titles. He’s drawn and lost by split decision to the current European champion, people forget that. “He’s enjoying his boxing.”
I’VE got to hand it to new promotional outfit GBM – they’re certainly pulling out all the stops in their bid to become major players in the sport.
I was impressed with their recent West Midlands show, staged at Coventry Skydome last month. The format was slick and media well looked after. There was a showbiz feel to the occasion.
Nothing announced, nothing official, but GBM’S next offering in the city looks an even bigger bill for fans – it’s mouthwatering. The date put forward is June 8 at the Sports Connexions Centre, I believe.
It will, I’ve been informed, feature FIVE title fights:
Chelmsley Wood super-bantam sensation Nyall Berry and Danny Quartermaine – the Leamington favourite who won the IBF European super-featherweight title on the Skydome show – will both fight for international belts.
The long-anticipated battle between Chelmsley Wood’s Midlands lightweight champ Scott Melvin and unbeaten Ameen Khalid is on the show. That’s a potential cracker. The pair were scheduled to meet at the Skydome last month, but Khalid was forced to pull out.
Still work to be done, but Nuneaton’s Ashlee Eales may make the first defence of his Midlands light-middleweight crown against Nottingham’s Jack Mantell in a battle of unbeatens.
Coventry favourite Jess Barry looks poised to feature in her first title fight, with newly crowned Midlands super-feather champ Beccy Ferguson, from Stoke, in the opposite corner. Add to that an undercard featuring such talent as unbeaten Birmingham lightweight Niall Farrell and you have the ingredients for an awesome night.
As I said, nothing confirmed, but I challenge any of the above fighters to contact me if I’m wrong.
Charlie Loughran, the exciting Coventry heavyweight hope, has been given the chance to avenge the only loss on his record.
The Toe 2 Toe ABC amateur club star will face the man who beat him by split decision in the ABA national developments final.
Oliver Hockney will have home advantage. The bout takes place on his club show, in Middlesbrough, on May 1.
But Loughran, who has lost only one of 16 bouts is brim-full of confidence.
“When I fought him last time, I had a chest infection,” he said. “Now I’m training mad – I’m sleeping at the right time, eating the right things.”
Loughran, considered a rare talent, bounced back from defeat in the nationals by taking the multinational King of the Ring tournament in Sweden. The major event attracts around 500 boxers.
Charlie beat a Londoner in the semis and Dane in the final.
He now plans to fight in this year’s development tournament, then the elites – then look at turning professional.
“It’s been tough getting opponents in the amateurs,” Charlie added, “that’s why competing in tournaments has to be the way forward. “I think pro boxing will suit me. The amateurs is a bit of a rush, you haven’t got a lot of time and I like to take my time.”
After the loss to Hockney, Loughran’s trainer, Billy Parmar vowed the lad would come back a better fighter.
“I told him, your first loss can either make you or break you,” Parmar said. “He was hurt, disappointed and upset, but he got back on it. He was still not 100% because of the chest infection. Some fighters are not 100% and they want to pull out, but he’s got a different mindset.”
We’ll see what difference that sole loss has made on May 1.
I expected a fairly undemanding night’s work for the Sky Blue favourite. Instead of sticking to his boxing, River elected to slug it out.