HONOURS EVEN
The referee can’t separate Windle and Narvaez over eight
IT was a case of honours even in the eightround bill-topper on this Tommy Owens promotion at Villa Park when Birmingham’s
Matt Windle was held to a 76-76 draw by Barcelona-based Nicaraguan Pablo Narvaez.
Nip and tuck throughout, I thought Narvaez might just have nicked it, but justice was probably served on the visitor who had weighed in well above the agreed limit.
Evesham’s Brett Fidoe silenced the locals early in his four against previously unbeaten
Ijaz Ahmed by flooring the Brummie with a looping right.
Ahmed stormed forward for much of the remainder but invariably overdid it and regularly fell short. Fidoe, meanwhile, pressing behind the jab, scored with several right uppercuts in the later stages and rightly triumphed 38-37.
Nuneaton’s evergreen Kristian Laight stepped in at late notice to provide an opponent for one-fight Shrewsbury novice Lenny Evans over the short four-twos distance. I like the look of Evans – his punch variety is good, as is his hand speed. It was no surprise then that this one should be scored 40-36 to Lenny by the evening’s referee Kevin Parker.
Local Jack O’keeffe took every round over four against Plymouth’s Mohamed Mahmoud who, while looking to keep it long and scoring with fairly regular single shots, found himself increasingly outworked.
Things proved closer in the four between Burntwood’s Sean Daly (who picked up a late cut by the right eye) and Driffield’s Danny Little. Mr Parker saw Daly a 39-37 winner.
Manchester’s Adam Williams edged out Redditch’s heavier Nathan Stevens 38-37 in the curtain-raiser. Stevens lost a point for persistent holding in the third.
Indi Sangha, now living in Birmingham, dominated Gloucester’s experienced Andy Harris, who was floored by two heavy rights in the fourth and final session. He also had a point docked for holding. It finished 40-34.
THE VERDICT Another decent serving from always-grafting promoter Owens.