THE clash for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title between Belfast southpaw Sean McComb and Gavin Gwynne finally goes ahead in Bolton on Friday night (February 19).
This was set for Wakefield last month and then shifted to Dubai after the Board put a stop to pro boxing shows in Britain. Further restrictions led to another delay and change of venue. The Bolton Whites Hotel stages a fight that has the makings of a cracker for viewers watching on iFL TV and ESPN + in the States.
Gwynne is a come-forward volume puncher, while McComb is a mover.
For Gwynne, it’s his third shot at major honours. The Welshman has missed out when fighting Joe Cordina and James Tennyson for the British and Commonwealth belts and the vacant British title respectively.
Cordina beat him on points and 12 months later, Belfast banger Tennyson stopped him in six. Gwynne (12-2) was in both fights, but Cordina was too skilled and Tennyson too strong. McComb’s rainer Danny Vaughan says his fighter is “the real deal,” though he hasn’t had things all his own way since turning over around two years ago after an amateur career that included appearances in European and World Championships.
McComb (11-0) has lovely skills when he finds his rhythm – usually after two or three rounds – but he’s found some opponents hard to discourage and he was on the floor against seasoned Argentine Emiliano Rodriguez in October, 2019.
McComb wants to be pushed on this year and sees himself as European champion by the end of 2021. We know he’s skilled. As an amateur, McComb was good enough to twice beat 2015 World Champion Vitaliy Dunaystev in the space of a few weeks in 2017 after the Russian had won Olympic bronze the previous summer. Ahead of this, there have to be questions over how well McComb will make 135lbs.
He last made the weight as an amateur in 2016 – 60kgs is around 133lbs – and has only dipped under 140lbs twice in his 11-fight career. We wonder how well he will last the pace. My guess is that at the end of 12 rounds, McComb will be a points winner, possibly after a scare or two.
