ADOLPHE LOOKS LUCKY
Hungarian visitor’s efforts go unrewarded
LOUIS ADOLPHE had his hands full against Hungary’s Zoltan Szabo and looked, I thought, a tad lucky to get the verdict at York Hall. Referee Kieran Mccann had Adolphe (Wimbledon) ahead by 58-56, crediting Adolphe’s counter-punching over Szabo’s aggression – but I felt Szabo was generally landing more, especially in the second half. Szabo landed a good left hook to the body as the bell ended the fourth, and there was a lump on Adolphe’s right cheek.
A right to the body in the fifth had Adolphe grabbing for safety, and Szabo kept up the pressure in the last, though Adolphe was connecting with light counters. A left hook sent Adolphe into the ropes towards the end.
Oldham’s Sam Omidi caused a surprise by holding Croydon’s Connor
Vian to a draw, referee Lee Cook scoring 57-57. Omidi was cut on the left eyebrow and had a bump under the left eye, but showed plenty of initiative and used his height and reach advantages well. The shorter Vian tried to get inside and land – a right to the head rocked Omidi in the fifth, but he came back grimly. Omidi landed at long range in the last, and I felt he well deserved the draw.
Slough’s Jimmy Smith clearly outscored Bryn Wain (Yeovil), but had to get off the floor to do it. A combination to the head dropped Smith by the ropes in the opener, but he rose at ‘three’ and started working the jab. He proceeded to outwork Wain, picking his shots effectively and scoring to head and body. Referee Cook’s 60-55 scoreline meant Smith didn’t even lose the first.
The one quick winner on this British Warrior Boxing bill was Maerdy’s Alex
“Bad News” Hughes, who lived up to his nickname by halting Poland’s Adam
Grabiec 2-06 of a scheduled six. Hughes began by landing long, stiff jabs. The shorter Grabiec moved away and tried to keep his guard tight, but Hughes landed a combination to the head and then opened up, forcing Grabiec back into the ropes. With nothing coming back, referee Mccann waved it off.
In a female six-twos, Islington’s Cherrelle Brown outworked Bulgarian
Borislava Goranova and took referee Mccann’s 60-54 verdict. Afterwards, Brown took the ring mic to dedicate her win to a friend who recently died of breast cancer.
Seven four-rounders completed the bill, four featuring debutants. Rhys
Edwards (Tonypandy) opened his career with a 40-36 win over Caerphilly’s
Robbie Forster, whose last bout was in July 2015. Forster tried but was generally outworked. Edwards picked his shots effectively and was landing at will in the last. Mr Cook refereed.
Obi Egbunike (Acton) forced things all the way against Atherton’s William
Warburton, taking referee Mccann’s 40-36 verdict, while Terry Conroy (Poplar) outworked Eastbourne’s Scott
Hillman, and was duly rewarded with a 40-36 victory from Mr Cook. Hillman was rocked by a right to the head in the fourth. The one losing debutant was southpaw
Sergio Gugliotta, who dropped referee Mccann’s 40-36 decision to Luton’s
Alex Bishop. Gugliotta came forward gamely but Bishop countered effectively, switching stance and consistently beating Gugliotta to the punch. Bishop was warned in the third for trapping Gugliotta’s arm. Thirteen days earlier, Hereford’s Dean
Evans came to York Hall and ruined Mo Gharib’s unbeaten record with a points win. He couldn’t do the same against Bermondsey’s Jay Smith, who took a 40-37 win from referee Cook. Evans spent long periods covering up on the ropes, landing the occasional counter. He indulged in a spot of clowning in the last, then opened up with a burst to the body, but generally the effective work came from Smith.
Returning after more than six years away, Hoddesdon’s Colin “Butch”
Goldhawk was beaten 40-36 (Mr Cook) by Bedfont’s Taran Willett. Goldhawk had height and weight advantages, but both fighters looked to be carrying surplus. Willett landed more in every round, and was consistently on target with left hooks, though Goldhawk took everything and never looked in trouble.
Alan Ratibb (Colchester) outscored Slovakia’s Ivan Godor, referee Mccann tabbing 39-37. Godor was wrestled over in the first and sustained a vertical cut on the bridge of the nose.
THE VERDICT Adolphe gets the verdict, but lessons need to be learned.