THE GATECRASHER
Richardson heads west to rip the title from local hero Harrison, writes Gary Shaw from ringside
ON AN exciting and, for the most part, evenly matched card at the Grand Central Hall, Hull’s Logan Richardson ripped the Central Area bantamweight title from local Jake Harrison with a spectacular fifth-round TKO.
The pre-fight consensus was that, giving away height, reach and experience, Richardson would do well to deny Harrison in front of his home supporters. However, although caught frequently, especially by right hooks to the body, the visitor was largely unperturbed by the local’s speed, skill and southpaw stance over the first three and he countered with spiteful shots of his own throughout.
The first was close. The smaller Richardson throwing everything into every shot to counter the slick movement of the home fighter. The second seemed as if it would set the scene for the rest of the fight; Harrison moving well to outscore a dogged Richardson with jabs and southpaw back hands from the outside and decent work up close. The third was similar, although more of the visitor’s heavy shots – roared on by a sizeable following – were getting through.
This pattern continued until, near the end the fourth, a long right caught Harrison flush and he was sent to the canvas. Up at three, he hung on to the bell but any thoughts of recovery during the interval were shattered when Richardson dropped him again with a sickening left hook 20 seconds into the fifth. Seeing the distress Harrison was in, referee Mark Lyson waved it over immediately and called for the medical team to attend.
Such a dramatic end to the contest was marred slightly by Richardson standing over the prone Harrison to shout something at his stricken opponent as Mr Lyson removed his gumshield. Thankfully Harrison recovered after a short delay and Richardson was more gracious once he had calmed down.
Any potential rematch shouldn’t be missed.
Last time out, Liverpool cruiserweight Nathan Quarless dropped a unanimous decision in an English title bout against Hackney’s much touted Viddal Riley at the York Hall, but was rarely in trouble here as he walked down Sheffield’s determined Perry Howe for a largely uneventful 60-55 win on Mr Lyson’s card. David Mulholland refereed.
Stepping up in his first six-rounder, Birkenhead’s Ben Burnham will be glad to see the back of Manchester-based Iranian Bahadur Karami who, once again, proved a real handful. Always game and, in appearance at least, showing his total disdain for the efforts of his opponents, Karami certainly makes them work hard. Both had their moments, but neither were in control in an absorbing, close and non-stop contest. Occasionally forgetting his boxing and allowing himself to be dragged into Karami’s war of attrition at times, Burham did enough in what was – headliner aside – the fight of the night to see out a 58-57 win from referee Steve Gray.
After a disappointing and surprising loss last time out, local Bryan Collins was mostly in control against Yorkshireman Joe Hardy, who presumably shared the last round on referee Mark Lyson’s 60-55 scorecard.
Just five weeks previously, and in the very same hall, Cameroon’s Sheffieldbased Serge Ambomo upset unbeaten local Ryan Dickens in a contest where very little went right for the home fighter. This time it was the turn of fellow scouser Connor Goulding to lose his 0 with a 59-55 loss to the visitor who more than makes up for his lack of style with sheer grit and no absence of power. Seldom hurt, even when Goulding answered back with decent shots of his own, Ambomo was on the front foot for the entire six rounds, especially in the third when, due his power shots finally getting through, the local was in all sorts of trouble. David Mulholland refereed, Mr Lyson scored.
Highlighting the dilemmas of promoters and matchmakers everywhere, the first contest of the evening was only added to the bill the previous day – and that after a number had fallen through in the preceding fortnight. As it was, Newcastle’s Basi Razaq boxed well within himself to outscore Rotherham’s still winless Nathan Darby 40-36 on Steve Gray’s card.
THE VERDICT Good win for Richardson, but we could have done without his unsportsmanlike display as a stricken Harrison recovered.