YOUNG GUN
Gutsy West is halted in Central Area title eliminator
AN eight-round battle of Yorkshiremen in the Centenary Suite at Elland Road (Bateson Promotions) saw local favourite
Tom Young secure a stoppage win over Sheffield’s gutsy but ultimately outclassed
Dan West in what was a Central Area welterweight title eliminator.
Already ahead at the halfway stage despite the third session having been closer, Young began the fifth with a hefty right to the head. From that point onwards he looked a sure-fire winner, although his victory did come a little surprisingly. A sudden burst of intense pressure proved the stimulus for referee Howard Foster to intervene with just seven seconds of the sixth remaining.
Leeds’ Ishmael Davis triumphed for the second time in a little over a week. He dropped Oldbury’s Dwain Grant once in each session, the third time with a short left, before referee Foster
intervened at 2-10 in the third of a scheduled four.
Mr Foster scored two further bouts 40-36, adjudging Halifax’s Kyle Scully a winner over Stockport’s Jamie Quinn and doing likewise as Heckmondwike’s
Cory O’regan saw off Torquay’s Adam Bannister. Anthony Donaldson
from Skegby had a debut to forget, lasting just 65 seconds of a four-rounder before failing to beat the count of Mike Alexander, having been sent to all fours by a pair of clubbing rights from York’s chiselled Michael Fafera.
Mr Alexander oversaw three further fours, two of which finished in shutout wins, another that saw just a single point separating the two combatants.
That closer affair resulted in a 39-38 success for comebacking Steven
Mennell of Leeds, who edged past game Hull-based Lithuanian Zygimantas
Butkevicius in a close-fought encounter. The two 40-36 winners were Leeds debutants Chris Ogbonson and Luke
Kelly. Ogbonson impressed against Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudhry, while Kelly, who improved with every round, overcame Hyde’s Dale Arrowsmith.
THE VERDICT Young now has his sights set on securing a title.