FIVE-STAR FIGHT
Underdog Welborn edges a fantastic scrap for the British middleweight title
Underdog wins a brilliant barnburner for the British middleweight title
IT’S very rare that I see fit to give a fivestar rating when compiling my weekend reports, but it would have been remiss of me to award anything less to the absolute belter of a British middleweight title bout between Birmingham’s Tommy
Langford and Tividale’s Jason Welborn. The fight, which went ahead without the benefit of TV involvement in front of a packed house at Walsall Town Hall, saw challenger and unfancied underdog Welborn reward promoter Errol Johnson and his Black Country Boxing team for their efforts in securing the contest by scoring a split decision victory.
At the end of a heroic battle between the two never-say-die warriors, the difference was one incident as early as the second round, when referee Terry O’connor gave a standing count to champion Langford, who had just been stunned by a right to the head.
Having weathered the ensuing storm, and despite having picked up a cut to the left eyebrow late in the third, Tommy rallied. More often than not scoring in short bursts as opposed to single shots, Langford was just nicking the alwaysclose stanzas, and looked to be edging gradually towards a successful defence.
Welborn, though, just a little quieter in those middle rounds, came storming back. As the crowd roared their approval he gave as good as he got and a little more besides during the final quarter. As it turned out, this was just sufficient to see him home, and he fell to the canvas on the announcement of the result before being mobbed by his jubilant team.
Judges Howard Foster and Steve Gray had Welborn taking it 114-113 at the conclusion of the hugely entertaining scrap, while Shaun Messer had Langford ahead 115-113. For what it is worth, I had the challenger nicking it right at the death after turning in a spirited last three rounds.
Just over a year ago, Conisbrough’s Dave Allen needed less than two rounds to KO Sheffield’s David Howe. Since then, the latter, while twice winning over the distance against relative novice Jay Mcfarlane, had been stopped or knocked out three times in a combined total of five minutes and thirty seconds. He therefore seemed an odd choice of opponent over six if Allen was looking to bank a few rounds and shake off a little ring rust.
My concerns surrounding the match were assuaged slightly when, just prior to the commencement of action, the bout was cut to four rounds. A fair degree of rib-tickling followed with Allen barely breaking sweat and Howe offering precious little. With a 40-36 scoreline in favour of Allen looking nailed on, two half-hearted rights and another slightly heavier looping blow saw Howe turn away in a neutral corner. Twenty seconds of the contest remained as undercard referee Messer waved it off. Allen was left looking almost apologetic in victory.
A trio of overseas visitors fell victim to shutout losses, one over six rounds and two over four. The six saw Rowley Regis’ Tyler Denny dish out a one-sided beating to Latvia’s Raimonds Sniedze.
The import was caught by a jarring short right in the first, as well as being warned for holding and picking up a mark below the left eye. Denny finished with a cut above his left optic.
Birmingham’s Shaka Thompson and Aldridge’s Rachel Ball claimed 40-36 wins in respective bouts against Czech Martin Kabrhel and Poland’s
Monika Antonik. Kabrhel survived a doctor’s inspection of a huge egg high on his forehead, while Ball bloodied her opponent’s nose.
The two remaining fours both ended 40-37. Birmingham’s heavily tattooed
Kane Baker proved too much for Reading’s Ibrar Riyaz who, once again having been forced to endure the misery of Friday motorway travel, is fast closing in on his 150th appearance. Meanwhile, Swadlincote’s Ross Hollis triumphed over Stourbridge’s Kevin Mccauley,
who picked up a tiny nick to the bridge of the nose late on.
THE VERDICT Welborn defies the odds to pip Langford in a cracking clash.