All’s Well that ends well for Farooq
No dream weekend for Motherwell daft Allan after stoppage
GLASGOW fighter Kash Farooq retained his Scottish bantamweight title at the Radisson Blu Hotel in the city last night with an eighth round stoppage over Shotts boxer Scott Allan.
In a fine night of boxing staged by the St Andrew’s Club and hosted by Hugh Keevins with Hibernian and former Celtic manager Neil Lennon as guest of honour, Farooq saw off his game opponent for the second time this year.
The 21-year-old Glaswegian had defeated Allan in straightforward fashion in January, but Allan had admitted before this rematch that he cut corners in his camp for that fight but had been meticulous in his preparation as he looked to avenge the defeat.
Their styles could hardly be more starkly different, both in and out of the ring. Farooq is quiet and understated, while Allan is brash and confident. But for all that Allan may have been the undisputed showman prior to the fight, it was Farooq who shone brightest once the men stepped inside the ropes. Allan was looking to start off a dream long weekend by getting a victory in the colours of his beloved Motherwell, who take on Celtic in Sunday’s League Cup final at Hampden, but he will be hoping his heroes in claret and amber fare a little better than he managed here.
The fight started at a frantic pace, with Allan the busier and Farooq picking his shots in a more considered fashion.
Allan fought back in the second though, landing some big head shots, but the resurgence was short-lived as Farooq caught him with a powerful left that sent him down on one knee and being forced to take an eight-count, despite his pro- testations. Allan showed his undoubted heart to scrap his way back into it again in the third, but the fourth saw Farooq take control and Allan was looking a little unsteady as he headed back to his corner.
As the fight progressed, Allan’s busy style saw him land a few punches without really testing his durability, but he deserves real credit for the way he stayed in the fight. The more technically-gifted Farooq was usually a step ahead though, and by the time we moved into the eighth, blood was streaming from the nose of Allan, and referee Victor Loughlin felt he had no choice but to step in and bring the punishment he was taking to an end.
Allan was distraught at the decision, but it was the right call with the fight only going one way by that stage.
“I’m really happy,” said Farooq. “I feel really good and it was a great fight.”
The undercard was also entertaining, with the first fight seeing Dumbarton boxer Martin Harkin taking on late stand-in Ahmed Ibrahim from Glasgow, after original opponent O’Shane Clarke suffered a family bereavement.
Despite his late call-up, Ibrahim was game as he slugged it out in an entertaining exhibition bout. Both fighters look to be decent prospects.
Kelty’s Connor Law then stepped into the ring to take on Huddersfield fighter Alistair Warren in a six-round bout. The Englishman started strongly, but once the Scotsman figured out how to create space against his opponent, he started picking him off with some fine shots, and scored a knockdown in the third round with Warren standing up after an eight-count, but Law went on to claim a points victory.