AFTER two years out of the ring, Carl Fail stopped Amir Abubaker in the eighth session of a scheduled 10-round contest to secure the Midlands Area super-welterweight title. The bout also served as a British title eliminator.
Hosted at the BIC as part of the ‘Pier Pressure’ card, the fight delivered a back-and-forth clash that displayed skill and heart.
From the opening bell in round one, Abubaker came out with some intense pressure, landing one or two shots that appeared to hurt Fail, but by the end of the round, it was Fail who had his opponent hurt as a lead uppercut dazed Abubaker.
Round two was much of the same. Abubaker appeared to have recovered well in the break as he came out with front-foot pressure again.
As the fight progressed, Fail displayed intelligent defensive skills, utilising slick head movement and a peppering jab to counter Abubaker’s forward pressure.
As the third round ended, it was Fail who was backed onto the ropes under a flurry of Abubaker’s attacks as the bell went.
At the halfway marker in round five, Fail appeared hurt as Abubaker’s constant pressure and heavy hands began to wear down Fail.
Fail’s reliance on his ability to manoeuvre around the hard hitter was slowly fading away, but he showed hints that he wasn’t done yet, always answering back with counter shots to keep his opponent busy.
Finally, in the eighth round, Carl Fail was able to land a combination of punches that put Amir Abubaker to the canvas, forcing the referee to wave off the contest.
It was a closely fought contest between the two in which Fail’s stock will likely hit a new peak. Abubaker, meanwhile, should keep his head held high as he displayed good skill in an entertaining fight.
“Me and my brother have got a dream and we’re chasing it and we refuse to give up. This is the first of many titles,” Fail told Boxing News after his win.
