ENGLISH TITLE FIGHT EXCITES AT YORK HALL: REPORT
The main event was a great fight, it had everything and the English Super Featherweight Title on the line. Liam Dillon, as expected, took the front foot and pushed the pace and unbeaten Dennis Wahome took the back foot and used his reach. Dennis is a rangey, awkward southpaw and Liam had real trouble trying to land shots at times. Going into the fifth I had it two a piece: then Wahome racked up the next couple in my opinion. The only problem I had with Dennis is he was making Liam miss a lot, but wasn’t making him pay and just moving away which in the end might cost him.
Liam seemed to be getting frustrated but that all changed in round nine where Liam had a good round and then in the tenth enjoyed the best round of the fight as a whole and for Liam. Wahome seemed out on his feet as Liam was matching his man down throwing bombs. Both men knew this was the fight of their lives, neither of them wanted to be denied as Wahome was still throwing back even though he was hurt and Liam wanted the stoppage win to secure that English title.
Liam is my friend, and I know the media is meant to be neutral but I was on my feet screaming for him and so was my girlfriend. At least I have to be honest. As the bell went I personally thought Wahome nicked it by one round. But it all comes down to what you like. Dennis Wahome’s slick boxing making Dillon miss but not pay might have been his downfall and Liam coming forward holding centre of the ring although not landing much but having a massive finish could’ve worked in his favour. It went to the scorecards and was a MD 96-94, 95-95, 98-92 in favour of the new English Super Featherweight champion, Liam Dillon!
The ever entertaining, Team Southpaw Jab’s own, road warrior Lewis van Poetsch came out in a baseball costume with bat and ball included, then handed the ball to the MC of the night who, of course, hit a home run. Van Poetsch is always entertaining and plays the game very well. He was in the away corner facing Dana Zaxo (at light heavyweight!). Dana came forward and took a while to find home with his shots but when he did they sounded like they hurt.
I trained with Dana for years and know fully well how hard he hits; he had no amateur background and at times it shows when he drops his hands in rage and just stands there pretty much waiting to get hit in the face. But you can’t knock him from where he started to where he is now. It's a joy to watch him improve. It was scored 40-36 by Chaz Coakley.
Daniel Mendes versus Phil Williams at heavyweight wasn’t one to get excited about to kick off the show as not much happened, in fact there wasn’t one significant punch landed between the two of them. A slow paced fight from round one to four. Mendes was working the body throughout and the only clear round taken was the third round for Mendes every other round could have gone either way. The referee scored it 39-37.
Henri Potter wasn’t impressed to see me wearing lipstick at the Goodwin media day, but he brought a massive crowd with him to York Hall. When he came out the roof nearly came off the place. A couple of his fans were quite rowdy but boy did they make some noise. Potter was making his debut at welterweight against Fonz Alexander.
Potter started very fast and looked really sharp. His left hook off the jab must be his favourite shot as he threw it a lot and sometimes through the left hook to the body off it and it was working well for him. At times Henri seemed to switch off and got caught with a couple of right hands but was still doing enough to win the rounds. The last round Fonz Alexander really pushed the pace and nicked it, it ended 39-37 Potter.
Cruiserweight Jamie Smith came out and took the centre of the ring from the off and went to town on poor Nathan Junor’s body. You could see from the off these punches were hurting Junor and you got the sense at any moment he could go. In the second round after Smith landed another two hurtful body shots and two big shots upstairs the ref jumped in and stopped the fight. A TKO win for Smith.
Jordan Grannum started his middleweight fight with Dalton Miller really well, slipping punches with slick head movement and throwing uppercuts to Dalton's face. Jordan seemed to take the second round off, and Dalton started to come forward and landed shots of his own through the guard of Grannum. The last round was definitely Jordan Grannum’s he landed some hurtful shots to Miller's face. With every round being close it was scored a draw 38-38. Both men have losing records so a draw doesn’t really help either.
Not much happened between light heavies Paul Brown and Daryl Sharp until the third round really. Daryl was landing the over hand right all night and in the third landed the biggest one of the night and had Brown all over the place. Paul Brown can count his lucky stars as when Sharp started to throw bombs after the big right hand landed the bell went. Sharp didn’t really come out with a point to prove in round four and the ref scored it 39-38 to Brown.
When Brandan Olbrechts came out for his super lightweight debut you couldn’t help but laugh seeing as he was sponsored by ”adult entertainment” Fake Taxi, which has to be the best sponsor in boxing in my opinion. He must also be a massive ticket seller as York hall went crazy for him.
Unlike Fake Taxi, Brandan wanted to finish fast as he was straight on the front foot throwing some big shots at Paul Scaife. I was impressed with Olbrechts as he was great on the front foot and when Scaife wanted to push the pace in rounds three and four Olbrechts looked just as comfortable on the back foot winning every round the ref scores it 40-36.
Overall it was a decent show, it started slow but Steve saved his best till last as they say with the three big ticket sellers on just before the main event got York hall booming and the English title fight was a cracker.
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