Fans treated to plenty of action
Judgement Day will live long in the memories of a packed house at Maidstone Leisure Centre.
It was promoter Joe Elfidh’s fifth show in the County Town and arguably the best yet as 1,200 fans turned out to see Kent boxers in action on Saturday night.
Heavyweights Dave Jones (8- 0-1) and Dorian Darch (12-5-1) stole the show in an entertaining draw.
Home fighter Jones and his Welsh opponent went at it over six rounds of hard-hitting action.
It was a step up in class for Jones against a man who’d shared the ring with Hughie Fury and Anthony Joshua in back-to-back fights.
Jones, from Sheppey, said: “That is why I do this sport, what a tough fight.
“I got a draw, which I think was a fair result. We both give everything we had and, by the sounds of it, everyone loved it.”
The headline fight saw unbeaten super-middleweight Charlie Shane move up to 5- 0 by defeating 59-fight veteran Lewis van Poetsch (6-52-1).
The southpaw had a tough time against ‘Poochi’, who strode into the fight confidently off the back of a points win over unbeaten prospect Carwyn Herbert last month.
The 26-year-old from Chatham claimed the British Challenge belt with the points win and aims to have another couple of learning fights with new trainer Charlie Rumbol before moving up to bigger title fights.
Shane said: “He came to win, he was tough, it was a real good, tough fight and I enjoyed it.
“I could’ve made the fight easier for myself but I’ve learnt loads from it.
“I only had a baby two days before the fight, so it became a double celebration.”
Southern Area middleweight titleholder Grant Dennis (10- 0) beat Central Area champion Darryl Sharp (5-21) on points.
Dennis said: “It was a routine win. I know that Darryl has never been stopped before so I used my movement and skills and my fast hands.”
Former Team GB boxer Luke Gibb (30) stepped up to six rounds in just his third pro bout against Fonz Alexander (5- 64), winning comfortably on points, displaying an array of combinations and switch-hitting.
Following a stellar amateur career with over 80 fights for Nemesis ABC in Erith, a silver medal at the Four Nations and dozens of appearances for England, Gibb is replicating his success in the paid code.
Two-time Southern Area challenger Martin Hillman (10- 4), from Sidcup, secured his 10th professional win in his 14th pro contest, beating Michael Barnor.
Unbeaten lightweight Chris Matthews (8- 0) marched on with a points win over Joe Beeden (2-54-1), while Chelmsford’s Tom McGinley (4-1) floored debutant Kieran Homan in the first round.
English super-bantamweight champion Josh Kennedy (9- 0) was due to fight in his home county for the first time but his opponent withdrew at the last minute.
The next show at Mote Park scheduled for February 24. is