EMOTIONAL NIGHT
Jane Warburton is ringside at a poignant show
WITH injury and illness having already decimated this Carl Greaves promotion at the Kings Hall, the bout list had dwindled to just three contests by the time fight night arrived. It might have been down to two had it not been for Reading’s
Ibrar Riyaz who, despite suffering a family bereavement, was persuaded to compete.
The decision to go ahead with the show proved a difficult one, with the event dedicated to the memory of local man (and friend of participant
Kaash Buttery) Nathan Bates, who was murdered in October. He was honoured on this night with a minute’s applause.
Chasetown’s Luke Jones was up first against Leeds’ experienced Russ
Midgley. Jones was rewarded for his early pressure in the dying seconds of the opener, when the visitor was counted by trialist referee Chris Dean. Jones’ sharp body shots were having an effect, but his attacks upstairs were getting through, too. So much so that Midgley picked up a bloodied nose before going down 40-35, with Kevin Parker scoring from ringside.
The same officiating combo were in action for the clash that saw Hanley’s Jamal Le Doux get straight down to business against York’s Harry Matthews, who had his work cut out avoiding his onrushing foe. With his left cheek marked, Matthews did enjoy moments of success, the majority of them in a quieter fourth session. However, Le Doux, en route to a 60-54 win, picked it up again towards the finish.
The aforementioned Buttery, fleet of foot, swift of hand and urged on by his noisy followers, wasted little against Riyaz. Buttery responded with punches in bunches every time he was tagged. He did see a recent cut to the right eyebrow re-open in the fifth, but it didn’t worsen. Burslem’s Buttery took a 60-54 victory from referee Parker.
THE VERDICT Pull-outs aplenty mean just a trio of bouts go ahead in the Potteries.