BOXING returned to the Holiday Inn with this three-fight dinner show featuring a couple of six-rounders which went the distance and a single four which made it to three-quarter mark before being halted on medical grounds.
Unbeaten six-footer Iain Martell, from 10 miles up the road in Marsham, stepped up the quality of his opposition by going in with London’s two-time Southern Area cruiserweight title challenger Ossie Jervier.
Boxing in his home city for the fifth time, the fighter dubbed “Badman” duly improved his 100 per cent record by dominating sufficiently enough to secure the 60-55 verdict of referee-for-the-night Lee Cook.
Local welter Liam Goddard, a southpaw also boasting an unbeaten ledger, went one better by taking all six sessions on the referee’s card at the culmination of his contest against game Michael Williams. The Leicester man seldom has his arm raised at the finish but almost always makes it through to the final bell while proving tough as old boots.
The remaining bout featured two-fight Norwich novice Owen Blunden, a 20-year-old who hasn’t dropped a round since joining the pro ranks and who in his most recent outing had required less than a round to see off Barking’s Reece Smith.
The super-lightweight was pitched in against experienced Derbyshire operator Lee Connelly but unfortunately this one was cut short when a cut by the corner of the home man’s left eye, the result of an accidental clash of heads in the second session, worsened sufficiently at the close of the following stanza for a halt to be called.
Mr Cook’s card showed Owen ahead to the tune of 30-28.
The Verdict Blunden’s injury the only downside in as the three home boxers triumph.
FULL RESULTS
Liam Goddard 4-0 (1), w pts 6 Michael Williams, 2-15; Iain Martell, 6-0 (2), w pts 6 Ossie Jervier, 6-9 (5); Owen Blunden, 3-0 (1), w tech dec 3Lee Connelly, 7-45-3.
