IT LOOKED as if an early night was on the cards in the Lazarus Suite at Doncaster Racecourse when in a clash for the vacant Central Area featherweight title unbeaten localย Reece Mouldย floored Birminghamโs Sean Davisย twice inside the opening round.
While the gutsy Brummie then proceeded to give as good as he got in the next, the dying embers of the third saw him not only cut by the right eye but down again seconds before the bell.
That early night was looming again and this time it wasnโt long in coming – a left to the head, virtually the first punch of the fourth session, sent Sean over backwards and prompted referee Howard Foster to wave it off without taking up a count as the towel came in. Just 12 seconds had elapsed.
No fewer than three Yorkshiremen found themselves punching for pay for the first time and while all emerged distance winners over four, the margins of their respective victories varied from wide to narrow.
Local referee Mike Alexander oversaw the one-sided contest between wildly popular Barnsley light-heavyย Callum Simpsonย and Derby veteran Elvis Dube, the new start working off the jab and slamming home several big early rights. He then slowed the pace a little en route to a shut-out win after realising midway through that Elvis wasnโt going to wilt.
The same official gave Sheffield super-welter James Rayworth a 39-37 win over Hullโs Zygimantas Butkevicius, who on another day might just have earned a share.
Manchesterโs Darren Sarginson scored local first-timerย Taylor Watkinsย a narrow 39-38 winner over tattooed Worksop welterย Luke Middletonย and also turned in 40-36 cards in the remaining three bouts which saw Hullโs Lewis Sylvesterย getting the better of Readingโsย Ibrar Riyaz, comebacking Leeds stylistย Jack Danielย calling the shots against Eveshamโsย Brett Fidoe and a second Hull resident, one-fight noviceย Sonny Taylor, besting Lithuaniaโsย Dmitrijย Kalinovskijย though there wasnโt a deal of daylight between the pair in any of the rounds.
The Verdict Odds-on favourite romps home in the 10pm at Doncaster.
FULL RESULTS
Reece Mouldย (125lbs 6oz), 12-0 (6), w tco 4ย Sean Davisย (125 1/2lbs), 14-3;ย Lewis Sylvesterย (138lbs 5oz), 3-0, w pts 4ย Ibrar Riyazย (141lbs), 6-163-4 (3);ย Sonny Taylorย (202lbs), 2-0 (1), w pts 4ย Dmitrij Kalinovskijย (197 1/2lbs), 13-55-4 (5);ย Jack Danielย (125lbs), 4-0 (2), w pts 4ย Brett Fidoe(127lbs), 13-52-5 (6);ย Callum Simpsonย (181lbs), 1-0, w pts 4ย Elvis Dube(190lbs), 8-76-2 (5);ย James Rayworthย (155lbs 5oz), 1-0, w pts 4 Zygimantas Butkeviciusย (155lbs), 2-22;ย Taylor Watkinsย (143lbs 5oz), 1-0, w pts 4ย Luke Middletonย (146lbs 5oz), 2-5.