ON THE ROAD BACK
Mendes clearly beats one of his old victims
HAVING lost his Southern Area cruiserweight title to Nick Parpa last time out, Silvertown’s Daniel Mendes returned to York Hall and punched out a clear verdict over former victim Pawel Strykowski.
Southpaw Mendes was in charge from the outset, placing his punches effectively while Strykowski (Poland) tended to fall short. Referee Lee Every scored it 60-55, improving on the 59-55 verdict Mendes took in the same ring in September last year. Strykowski played his part, always looking to hit back, and made a big effort in the fifth, coming forward and trying to beat Mendes to the punch. But Mendes stayed cool and countered as his rival came in – and Mendes was back on the attack in the last.
The one quick ending on the bill saw Slovakia’s Denisa Cicoova ruin
Sangeeta Birdi’s UK debut, flooring and halting her rival in the second of a scheduled four-twos.
Birdi (born in Canada, based in Slough) won her pro debut in India, and had her southpaw opponent under pressure in the first. Cicoova hit back when she could but was under more pressure in the second – and then a left counter to the head had Birdi over. She was up quickly, but hadn’t fully recovered by the end of the eight-count – Birdi tried to rally but Cicoova was on target with counters, and Mr Every waved it off after 1-44. Birdi was given oxygen in the corner.
Rod Douglas Jnr, loser of his last four, stopped the rot with an upset points win over Chadwell Heath’s Robert Asagba. Mr Every scored it 39-37. A right to the head staggered Asabga in the second, but Douglas finished the session bleeding from a swelling below the left eye. There was quite a lot of holding, and tangling but overall Douglas was on target more and well deserved the win.
Southpaw Lewis Syrett (Tunbridge Wells), coming back after losing his unbeaten record to Sean Robinson in September’s Ultimate Boxxer competition, turned back the challenge of Norwich’s Duane “Mad Dog” Green, referee Kieran Mccann scoring 58-56. Green made it competitive, coming forward when he could and always looking to counter when Syrett launched an attack. But Syrett’s extra skill meant he found the target more often. Both suffered damage to the right eye – Syrett a swelling, Green a cut in the corner.
Brandon Ball (Rochester) outpointed Bulgarian Stefan Slavchev, referee Mark Bates scoring 59-55. Slavchev had his moments, and hit back after being caught. But Ball made use of his longer reach, while Slavchev tended to fall short, and Ball consistently found the target with solid rights to the head.
Xhuljo Vrenozi, an Albanian based in
Italy, scored his third win in the UK (all at York Hall) with a victory over Thornton Heath’s Richard Samuels. Referee Bates scored it 59-55. Vrenozi switched stance, scored through the middle and picked his shots effectively. But Samuels came to try, getting close and working the body when he could – though he was under some pressure in the last, taking stick in Vrenozi’s corner.
Having won their debuts here, two fighters came back after long layoffs to score their second wins.
Londoner Conor Hinds beat Callum Ide (Bognor Regis), referee Mccann scoring 40-36.
Hinds pressured throughout, picking his punches, while Ide tried to move and work the jab, covering up when Hinds got close.
Jake Spring (Sittingbourne), whose last bout was in April 2014, showed no sign of rust in outscoring Kingsteignton’s
Jamie Speight, referee Every marking 39-37. A right knocked Speight’s head back in the last, and a two-fisted attack had him holding on. Speight finished with a swelling under the left eye.
Connor Vian (Bristol) defeated Warminster’s Paul Cummings, referee Mccann scoring 40-36. Cummings tried to use his height and reach advantages but Vian got close and scored with both hands. Cummings bled from the nose in the last.
Two first-timers won by 40-36 in bouts overseen by Mr Bates – Amersham’s Jamie Smith over Lithuanian
Dmitrij Kalinovskij, and Slough’s wellsupported Amar Kayani over Islington’s Jordan Grannum.
Olivia Goodwin promoted on behalf of Goodwin Promotions.
THE VERDICT First hurdle overcome after title loss for Mendes, even if it is going over old ground.