Duo hold nerve in Hull hostility
MBBC took to the road for an event in Hull last week – three hours driving through the traffic on the M56, M60 and the M62 at 4.30pm in the afternoon!
When they arrived at the venue they were not overly impressed with what they saw.
“We arrived at what can only be described as a poorly run event – a small venue, packed to the rafters with a hostile crowd who were already arguing and falling out at 7.30pm in the evening – not good,” said MBBC coach Kevin Bradbury.
“So after a few choice words with the organisers over the order of bouts, due to putting us on last bout of the night, we managed to get a slot, bout nine of 14 bouts.”
First up for MBBC was Joe Straw, bout six, against a home fighter from the City of Hull ABC, George Johnson.
“The tension in the room was tangible, it wasn’t a nice place to be,” said Bradbury.
Both lads touched gloves and the crowd went wild, shouting for their lad.
Unperturbed, Joe Straw went to work, giving his opponent a boxing lesson.
Johnson was trying his best to please the crowd but Straw was settling in and starting to catch with
some nice confident shots as the bell rang.
Round two and Straw was pushing Johnson back, catching clean now with punishing shots although the way the crowd was shouting you’d think it was the other way round.
Straw was now dominating and, bang, Johnson’s head went back, then bang again – the referee had no choice but to give Johnson an eight count as he was dazed from the shot.
Saved by the bell, round three saw Straw enjoying himself against his opponent.
“Jack was told to ease off a bit in this round as the last thing we wanted with the hostile crowd against us was to knockout one of their boys, although to be truthful Straw nearly did in the third.”
The ref was looking after Johnson, so after a lesson in boxing and dominating through out it went to the scorecards – a split decision.
“It was a sinking feeling in the corner as we had smashed it in every round and they come with a split decision, fortunately in our favour, but this showed they were not fair judges which wasn’t good as we were fighting another kid from there for the Youth National England belt next.”
The bout of the evening, the only three by three minute contest was for the vacant 54kg female England belt – MBBC’s Jess Zolasko against City of Hull ABC boxer Ellie Tennison.
“Again the crowd was intense in favour of their girl, very intimidating as the compere introduced the boxers,” said Bradbury.
“The room was small and full off supporters – we knew the odds where stacked against us tonight.”
Round one and Jess settled into her southpaw stance a bit slow to start but catching with the cleaner shots.
Tennison would step forward, throwing a flurry of body shots – more slaps than punches – with Jess catching as she came in and always finishing off with on target shots.
The crowd was screaming for their girl even though she was being caught at will, they were applauding as if Tennison was throwing the shots.
Round two and Jess found her range, still not as busy as her coaches would have liked as Tennison was an easy target to hit. Every time she stepped in Jess would catch her clean with the right hook and then straight backhand.
Growing in confidence, Jess was on top now.
Round three and by far Jess’ best round. She was throwing the cleaner shots, boxing well and doing the business.
Tennison was tiring all the time and getting caught easily, as she now stepped back under the pressure.
The bell sounded at the end of round three and their home coach was jumping about as if Tennison had already won the belt, which didn’t feel right as Jess had dominated the contest, catching with the cleaner shots and better boxing skill. So as the referee brought the two boxers together they went to the score cards – another split decision although the crowd was already celebrating.
“Tennison was given the win, it didn’t feel right, Jess was disappointed but knew she had done enough to win, but boxing away from home in an hostile environment against an home fighter on their home show and in their region, you have got to ensure the judges have no choice to give you the win, so you’ve got to stop the kid if you want the win or at least that’s what it felt like,” said Bradbury.
“Lesson learnt, we won’t be going to Hull again after the way we were treated. All you ever want for your boxers is fairness which wasn’t afforded to us on the night.
“We live and learn, well done both boxers who were brilliant and did MBBC proud.”