CRISIS AVERTED

Expert cornering as Evans cruises to victory, writes Andrew Wake

ECCLES

JUNE 18

★★★★★ WHOLE SHOW

AFTER drawing last time out, hometown favourite Luke “Evo” Evans returned to winning ways with a six-rounds points win over Southampton-based Russian Rustem Fatkhullin.

Clever one-twos and good use of his jab meant that Evans controlled most of the contest. The toughest round for him was the third as he had to contend with a bad cut over his right eye following a clash of heads.

Kerry Kayes, working alongside Matthew Hatton in Evans’ corner, did an admirable job in stopping the bleeding and ensuring their man could coast to victory. John Latham scored it 60-55.

Cristian Narvaez is a tough nut to crack, as Oldham’s Aqib Fiaz found out. Unbeaten Fiaz connected with flush uppercuts throughout, yet Narvaez hung on in until the final bell. Mr Latham was again in charge and the score was 60-54.

The same official oversaw Rhys Woods’ clash with James Mccarthy and debutant Leon Cooney’s tussle with Naeem Ali and scored both of them 40-36. Cooney looked a real livewire of quick combinations, while Woods didn’t have it all his own way early on but was imposing his will on Mccarthy in the last two rounds.

Steve Gray was in charge of three contests that all went the distance. First up Thaun Wright continued his education by seeing off Jamie Quinn 40-36, while undefeated Casey Brown outworked Jake Bray to prevail by the same points margin.

In the evening’s other contest Evgenii Vazem, another Russian fighting out of Southampton, made a good account of himself in slipping to a 37-39 verdict to St Helens’ Johnny Kiely. Hurt to the body and bleeding from the nose, Vazem looked to be wilting at times but fought his way back into the contest and gave Kiely the toughest workout of his fledgling career.