Pride in defeat for Macc fighter
IN Macclesfield Boys’ Boxing Club’s first outing of the new season it was open-class boxer Jake Haigh who got this year’s campaign under way.
Having taken the bout at Leigh Conservative Club at only 24 hours’ notice Haigh was apprehensive as he entered the ring to take on a very talented local lad by the name of Kyle Lomotey.
The home boxer is a very strong classy boxer and had the whole room behind him. His southpaw stance threw Haigh off his game initially but he was soon comfortably dealing with it.
Both showed great boxing ability and the crowd was loving every minute, both lads getting some fantastic shots off and working the inside.
The close contest edged towards Lomotey towards the end of the secondround when he landed a a clean, straight shot.
Haigh goaded Lomotey forward as he covered up and took the onslaught that ended with the bell.
The best was yet to come in the third round, with neither giving an inch.
Out of nowhere Haigh got four or five straight clean shots through Lomotey’s defences, all hitting the target as he struggled to cover up.
It looked like it was going to be an eight count as the crowd fell silent, both lads showed heart right up to the final bell and the decision could have gone either way but on the night it went to the home fighter Lomotey on a split decision.
MBBC kead coach Kevin Bradbury said: “I’m so proud of the fact that Haigh actually dug into the trenches and gave it his all, right up to the final bell.
“It was a fantastic display from both kids and – to say we’d taken the bout with only 24 hrs notice – it was a brilliant contest.”