KAY PROSPERS
Stoppage win sets up an English 140lb title tilt for Prospere, writes Simon Euan-smith
KAY PROSPERE flattened Thamesmead’s Nathan Weise in five rounds at York Hall (Goodwin Main Events), and is now chasing English super-lightweight champion Sam O’maison. The official eliminator – set for 10 – ended abruptly and dramatically after 2-33 of the fifth. Prospere (Luton) banged in a left-right to the head, and Weise crashed down facefirst. He struggled to get to all fours, then hauled himself up. He made it up before ‘10’, but was still unsteady, and referee Lee Cook counted him out. It was Prospere’s third straight win since losing his unbeaten record to Rakeem
Noble in a Southern Area title challenge in October 2016.
Prospere took early charge, scoring with long southpaw jabs and following lefts to the body. Weise hit back, but tended to leave himself open. Weise had a fair fourth, finding the target with lefts, but Prospere came back with both hands, even switching to orthodox and scoring with his own left. In the fifth, Weise was warned for a low left, and then Prospere crashed in the combination that finished it.
Darrell Church (Chelmsford) clearly outpointed Bulgarian Daniel Borisov over eight, referee Chas Coakley’s 78-74 scoreline being – if anything – generous to the loser. Church was that bit sharper throughout, scoring with jabs and following rights. Borisov, a regular visitor to Britain, kept a tight guard, circling and landing the occasional counter, but generally fell short. Three weeks previously, Atherton’s
William Warburton came to York Hall and shocked Aarron Morgan with a sixthround stoppage. He couldn’t repeat the trick against South Ruislip southpaw Dean
Richardson, who took an 80-73 verdict from referee Mark Bates. Warburton launched the occasional attack, but was generally outworked.
Southpaw Deion Jumah (Chelsea) made it 10 straight wins, dispatching Croatian Tomislav Rudan in the third of a scheduled six. Rudan was down twice in the second from body shots, and a similar punch dropped him again in the third, to take referee Coakley’s full count after 58 seconds.
Sydenham’s Jonathan Palata won his pro debut with a second-round KO of Bulgarian Aleksey Spasov. It was scheduled for four. Spasov touched down in the first, and the timekeeper started to count. Referee Bates ignored it, but seconds later a burst had Spasov down in his own corner. The second saw Palata chasing, Spasov trying to move, but a right to the body sent Spasov down on his back, and he was counted out after 1-50.
Nick Parpa (Palmers Green) came into the ring wearing an Ancient Egyptiantype mask, and halted Bulgaria’s Grigor Karastoyanov in the second of a slated four. The visitor looked competent enough in the first, circling and looking to counter. But in the second, a right to the ribs sent Karastoyanov down in delayed action. He was up quickly, but when the eight-count was complete Parpa launched a wild attack, a further body shot finally putting Karastoyanov down again. He was up at ‘six’, but Mr Coakley completed the eightcount and then signalled the end after 1-04.
There was a farcical finish to the scheduled six between Newham’s Ryan Walker and Bulgarian Stefan Slavchev. The import went down by the ropes, apparently without being hit (though Walker clipped him as he started going down). Slavchev stayed on one knee to be counted out by referee Coakley after 58 seconds of the first.
The show opened with a sparkling fourrounder between Islington’s Louis Isaacs and Bulgarian Petar Alexandrov, with Isaacs taking referee Bates’ verdict by 39-38. There was little between them at any stage, with some great exchanges. Alexandrov finished with a huge swelling on the left eyebrow and a scalp wound.
Adi Burton (Aylesbury) outpointed Bulgarian Tsvetozar Iliev, referee Bates scoring 60-54. Iliev bled from the nose and had a bump below the left eye. Meanwhile, Adrian Martin (Ingatestone) beat Islington’s Jordan Grannum, Mr Cook tallying 60-55.
In fours, Londoner Mo Gharib defeated Latvia’s Aleksandrs Birkenbergs 40-36 (Bates); Curtis Felix (Milton Keynes) overcame Chatham’s Ricky Rose 40-37 (Cook); debutant Robbie Chapman (Ipswich) outscored Liam Griffiths (Bognor Regis) 40-37 (Cook); first-timer
Reece Cattermole (Ipswich) topped Southwark’s Victor Edagha 40-35 (Bates); William Webber (Dunmow) beat Geraint Goodridge (Port Talbot) 40-38 (Cook); and Bedfont’s Bradley Spencer outpointed
Gabor Balogh (Hungary/golders Green) 39-38 (Cook).
THE VERDICT Having missed out on the Southern Area belt, Prospere puts himself in contention for the English strap.