Coronations day
Two new Area champs crowned and an English title shot achieved
TIMON DOUGLIN pulled out a huge left hook to flatten Feltham’s Balraj Khara and annex the vacant Southern Area lightheavyweight title at York Hall.
Khara crashed down on his back, and although he bravely struggled up at eight, referee Lee Every promptly waved it off at 0-25 of the seventh round (scheduled for 10). It was definitely the right decision, and Khara needed several minutes’ treatment in the corner. Happily, he was able to come to the ring centre for the official announcement.
The taller, stronger Douglin (Reading) was in charge throughout. He was getting through as early as the first session, and landing freely with both hands in the next two.
Khara shipped a big right in the fourth, and was staggered by a left hook to the head. Douglin was quick to follow up. Khara tried to jab and move in the fifth, but couldn’t keep Douglin off. Douglin connected with a heavy left-right to the head, and opened up with both hands. Khara took it all bravely, and landed a decent right counter in the closing seconds.
In the sixth, Khara missed widely with a huge left and Douglin was quick to punish him, landing virtually at will.
By the end of the session, Khara was cut above the left eye, which Mr Every indicated was caused by a punch – and then Douglin brought the curtain down with that spectacular one-shot finish.
The other Southern Area title bout on this Goodwin Boxing bill saw Harwich’s PA Gordon take the vacant middleweight belt via a 10-round verdict over Hackney’s Constantine Williams, Mr Every scoring 96-94.
I thought Williams was unlucky. Gordon showed courage, and boxed well on the retreat (“slippery”, I wrote in my notes on the third round). But Williams was stronger, and hit harder, and I thought he generally did enough to win the rounds.
When Gordon got through in the fourth, Williams came back much more solidly – though Gordon was always
ready to counter. Gordon continued to hit back gamely in the fifth, but by the end he had a vertical cut in the corner of the right eyebrow, which Mr Every ruled was caused by a punch, and Gordon was not allowed to come out for the sixth until the doctor had examined it.
Gordon landed counters in the sixth and seventh, but Williams raised a swelling under Gordon’s left eye and landed a big right uppercut as the seventh ended. Gordon countered gamely in the eighth and ninth but couldn’t keep Williams off – and the pattern continued in the last, with Gordon’s counters having no visible effect. It was a gruelling, good-value bout, and should go on again.
Manchester’s Ryszard Lewicki punched out a warning to English supermiddleweight champion Mark Jeffers, flooring and halting Dunmow southpaw William Webber in the fifth of their scheduled 10-round official eliminator.
The ending was confusing. Webber went down – I thought he had been caught by a combination to the head, and Lewicki threw up his arms in triumph. But referee Mark Bates ruled it a slip and didn’t count – but when Webber got up, his legs betrayed him and Mr Bates waved it off at 2-31.
It was two days short of a year since Webber’s last bout, but the former undefeated Southern Area 168lbs champ showed no signs of ring rust, and the pair got down to things immediately. Lewicki was wrestled over in the first but was getting through by the end – and at the end of the second a combination to the head put Webber down. He was up at once, and the bell rang as Mr Bates completed the eight-count.
Lewicki looked to make his height and reach advantages tell, and a right to the head had Webber unsteady in the third. Webber aimed to get close and unload, and he had some success in the fourth and fifth, trapping Lewicki in a neutral corner in the latter – but ultimately Lewicki’s extra power told.
The fourth 10-rounder carried no official label, but Luton’s Albano Junior and Beeston’s Joe Underwood Hughes gave it their all, with Junior taking referee Bates’ 96-94 verdict.
It was Underwood Hughes’ first outing since September, which might have been significant. Junior certainly looked ahead after three rounds, jabbing effectively as Underwood Hughes pressed forward. In the third Junior started showboating, but had to take a burst in his own corner in the fourth, though he hit back grimly, and in the fifth Underwood Hughes knocked out Junior’s gumshield and pressured him to the ropes.
By this stage, Underwood Hughes was looking the stronger, but Junior moved well and countered with both hands.
It was gruelling, and both were spoken to in the eighth, but the pace never slackened and the pair put up a strong finish. Junior got the verdict, deservedly – but this too would make a great return.
There were unhappy returns for Snodland’s George Hennon and Lewisham’s Joke Amechi. Out since September, Hennon was floored and halted in two by Efstathios Antonas of Greece. It was scheduled for eight.
The first session was lively, but in the second a right to the head put Hennon down. He was up quickly, and Mr Every took up the count – but the towel came in from Hennon’s corner and Mr Every signalled the end at 1-30. Hennon looked thoroughly bewildered.
Amechi, 3-0 going in, hadn’t boxed since June – and it was Brentwood’s
Jack England (previously 0-6) who took the verdict after a lively six handled by triallist referee Amy Pu. Mr Every scored it 58-56.
There never looked much in it. Amechi came forward, England moved and countered (occasionally switching to southpaw). There was a diversion in the third when Amechi’s long hair needed to be fastened at the back (with tape) – once that was sorted out England opened up but Amechi quickly came back.
Armis Ballazhi, an Albanian based in East Finchley, better known as ‘Dennis’, outscored Mykhailo Sovtus (Canning Town/ukraine) in a six handled by Ms Pu, Mr Bates scoring 60-54. Sovtus sustained a cut and swollen left eye and was only allowed to come out for the fifth and sixth after a doctor’s inspection.
In fours, there were 40-36 verdicts for High Wycombe’s Lewis Oakford over Chalk Farm’s Robbie Chapman (Bates) and London-based Romanian Giorgio Isaila over Hyde’s Dale Arrowsmith (Pu/every).
THE VERDICT The recent upswing in the quality of small hall boxing continues in the ultimate small hall.