IT’S KIKO TIME
Gutsy Martinez proves a stubborn foe for Warrington
We were also in the thick of things as Josh Warrington battled Martinez
WARRINGTON PREVAILED COURTESY OF A BUSIER WORK ETHIC
ANOTHER victory for local favourite
Josh Warrington in front of his legions of noisy followers at the First Direct Arena in Leeds moved him a little closer to the world featherweight title shot he so desires.
This latest success – a majority 12-round points victory over EX-IBF super-bantamweight champ Kiko
Martinez – proved a tough assignment. The Spaniard, who survived an early doctor’s inspection of a fair-sized swelling on his forehead, spent a large percentage of the contest on the front foot.
Ultimately Warrington prevailed, not only courtesy of a busier work ethic – especially in the first half of the fight – but by landing the cleaner shots. Martinez though, despite being cut above the right eye in the eighth, never stopped pressing. He slammed home several powerful rights to both head and body, all of which were taken well by Josh.
Two scores of 116-112 from Daniel Van de Wiele and Robin Dolpierre, along with a 114-114 from John Keane, gave Warrington the win. The third man was Victor Loughlin.
There was an unsatisfactory ending to the British super-bantamweight title clash between southpaw champion Jazza Dickens and challenger Thomas Patrick Ward. The latter triumphed by way of a technical decision in the ninth, after an accidental head clash had left Ward with blood streaming from a wound above his left eye. This one may well go again, which would only be fair.
West Rainton’s Ward took it 87-85 twice (Howard Foster and Mr Loughlin) and 88-84 (Mr Keane), but the general consensus at ringside was that although the challenger was doubtless ahead, Scouser Dickens was coming on, and it looked like it was going to be a close one. Michael Alexander refereed.
Guisborough super-lightweight Josh Leather halted Dubliner
Philip Sutcliffe Jnr in the sixth session (set for 12) when, after rocking the Irishman initially with a left uppercut and then a combination, a follow-up right hand saw referee Foster intervene with 76 seconds of the stanza remaining. Josh’s identical twin brother, Kalam
Leather, secured his second pro win – a 40-37 success over seasoned veteran
Youssef Al Hamidi. The Dewsbury operator was left with a fair degree of reddening to his forehead. Lee Innes refereed, while Mark Lyson scored.
Just three weeks after retaining his British super-lightweight title by virtue of a split draw with Joe Hughes, Huddersfield’s Tyrone Nurse was back out again, this time over eight rounds against Leek’s Andy Keates. Despite picking up a cut to the forehead when heads clashed in the fifth, Nurse returned to winning ways, with the 79-74 tally of Mr Lyson fairly reflecting his superiority. Double Olympic gold medal-winner
Nicola Adams, in her second paid outing, and now competing over threeminute rounds, responded to the roar of her hometown crowd and produced a cracking performance. This wasn’t great news for her teenage Mexican opponent, Maryan Salazar. Despite coming to fight, and with her nose already bloodied, Salazar was simply overwhelmed in the end, as Nicola’s forays increased in ferocity with every passing moment. Adams launched into a sustained attack, which ultimately prompted the intervention of referee
➤ Foster with just 35 seconds of the third having gone. It was scheduled for four.
Bristol’s Ashley Lane caused something of an upset by deservedly registering a 59-55 victory over Guildford’s Thomas Kindon, who had won all 10 previously. Thomas did prove a little more adventurous in the sixth and final frame, but by then the contest, overseen by Mr Foster, had moved beyond his reach.
Ignoring a cut to his right eyebrow – the result of a head clash in the second of a scheduled four against Latvian Aleksandrs Birkenbergs – Doncaster’s Reece Mould twice sent the man from the Baltic to his knees. On the second occasion, just prior to the bell in the third, Mr Lyson said enough was enough.
There was an early finish too in the slated four between Fulham novice Zak Chelli and Sheffield’s Chris Dutton. This one was waved off 43 seconds shy of the halfway mark, with the Yorkshireman unable to regain his feet having been sent to the canvas for a second time due to an injured right ankle. The injury led to him being wheeled away from ringside on a stretcher. Mr Lyson officiated.
Southampton’s Ryan Garner shot out of the blocks against Barcelona-based Nicaraguan Rafael Castillo, putting the visitor under some intense pressure in the first. Castillo is made of tough stuff, though. He weathered the storm, and rallied late on, before slipping to a 40-37 defeat for referee Lyson.
After a year on the sidelines, Leeds’ former British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight titlist, southpaw Bob Ajisafe, returned with a 60-54 win over Josef Obeslo of the Czech Republic, whose left eye was almost closed by the finish. Mr Foster scored for referee Innes.
Debutant Joe Maphosa, from Thornaby, took all four rounds against Gateshead’s Gary Reeve, who picked up a cut by his right eye in the opener. Meanwhile, local Tom Young, busier throughout, chalked up a 40-36 victory too, one that condemned Belfast’s Alec Bazza to his 24th defeat. Mr Innes officiated both bouts, with Mr Lyson scoring.
A feisty midnight Yorkshire derby over eight saw referee Foster adjudge Bradford’s Darren Tetley an 80-72 winner over Halifax’s Luke Keleher.
THE VERDICT Question marks arise again about Warrington’s ability at the highest level.