** MAIN EVENT
***** UNDERCARD
***** ATMOSPHERE
Former pro footballer McKenzie is the star of promoter Steve Goodwin’s incredible 18 fight show
IN the main event at a sold-out York Hall, Blackpool’s Matty Askin retained his English cruiserweight title against Swindon’s Lawrence Bennett in bizarre style. Their war of words at the weigh-in was unresolved as the fight was called off in the first round. They tied each other up in close quarters, failing to acknowledge the referee’s command of ‘break’, and fell through the ropes and out of the ring as they refused to let each other go. Bennett managed to walk away from the commotion but paramedics carefully moved Askin onto a stretcher, as he was unable to continue.
The Shaun Messer-officiated bout was declared a technical draw.
Ex-pro footballer Leon McKenzie – a Croydon southpaw – is mandatory challenger for the vacant British super-middle title after stopping Edinburgh’s John McCallum. McKenzie jabbed well, picking his shots with his big left, and proving too much for McCallum, whose eyes were heavily swollen. In the sixth, McKenzie landed some hooks and at the end of the round referee Phil Edwards accepted the corner’s retirement with a gaping cut obscuring McCallum’s vision.
Joe Mullender secured a sixth-round stoppage over Barnsley’s Ben Davies in an exciting toe-to-toe brawl. Mullender’s power and workrate proved too much for Davies. Ben had no reply and in the sixth, Mullender’s body shots caused referee Lee Cook to step in at 1-42. Brentwood’s Mullender is now mandatory challenger to Lewis Taylor’s English middle title.
Fareham’s Floyd Moore won the Southern Area lightweight title against Gloucester southpaw Dan Carter with a savage body blow in the fourth round. Moore’s class showed through after some early exchanges, knocking Carter down twice with blasts downstairs, persuading referee Cook to halt the fight at 1-57.
Brentwood’s Kris Agyei–Dua claimed the Southern Area super-welterweight crown in three rounds as Canning Town portsider Freddie Turner retired on the floor, rupturing a knee. Turner had Agyei-Dua down in the first and was controlling things until the stoppage at 2-01 of the third. Mr Cook was the referee.
It was defeat again for Upminster’s Ryan Taylor,beaten by Czech Republic’s Daniel Baz. The visitor controlled matters, with Taylor looking flat and lacking power. Referee Kieran McCann scored 58-56 over six.
Tilbury’s Matt McCarthy outworked Bangor’s Casey Blair over six to win 60-55 on referee McCann’s scorecard. McCarthy threw strong hooks and moved well throughout.
Romford’s Pauly Upton delivered a dominant performance against Bulgarian Konstantin Alexandrov, winning every round for Mr McCann – 60-54.
Another member of the Upton clan, Sonny Upton, of Hyde, stopped Norwich’s Duane Green before the fifth via corner retirement. Green’s left eyebrow was split and he was unable to box on. Mr Cook refereed.
Ex-Prizefighter winner Wadi Camacho made a successful comeback with a 39-37 (Mr McCann) points win over Bulgaria’s Yavor Marinchev.
Canning Town southpaw Camacho shook off the ring rust with some solid jabbing, but Marinchev didn’t let him have it all his own way, landing meaty
left hooks and cutting Wadi’s right eye.
Promising London Colney light-heavy Ollie Pattison dominated Croatian Gordan Glisic, winning every round on referee Cook’s scorecard (40-36).
Rainham’s Charlie Duffield impressed on his debut via third-round stoppage over Brighton’s Iain Jackson. Duffield caught Jackson with a right hook and referee Cook stopped the contest at 1-32 with Jackson’s eye heavily bleeding.
Folkestone’s Josh Kennedy secured a second-round stoppage over Bulgarian Slaveya Stefanov. Kennedy floored him in the first round, and three times in the next with lefts downstairs. Stefanov failed to make referee McCann’s count, which was completed at 2-42.
Strood cruiser Louie Darlin was held to a draw against Latvia’s Reinis Porozovs in a scrappy affair. Porozovs was guilty of excessive holding. Mr McCann scored 38-38.
St Ives’ Bradley Smith defeated Belfast’s Alec Bazza. Smith jabbed and moved well. Mr McCann tallied 40-36.
Totton’s Jimmy Cooper overcame Swindon’s awkward Joe Beedon to win a 39-38 points decision from
Mr Cook. Beedon tied up Cooper, but he managed to land the cleaner shots.
Chelmsford’s Peter Akubuko beat Bognor Regis’ Liam Griffiths with a composed performance that impressed Mr McCann (40-37).
Willesden’s Ossie Jervier landed an uppercut in the fourth and final session to stop Bangor-based Ugandan Moses Matovu with just six seconds left in the Mr McCann-officiated contest.
The Verdict:A great small hall show – plenty of action and thoroughly enjoyed by the crowd.
Written by Brooke Streatfield
