Goodwin Boxing’s celebrated BoxMania series saw its 8th instalment at York Hall, with its next due soon. While Timon Douglas’ mouth-watering clash with Ross McGuigan was sadly postponed, the evening saw some high-class boxing, back-and-forth action, and more than a few huge punches. THE FIGHT OF THE NIGHT
In the fight of the night Lauren ‘Lionheart’ Parker, fought Central American brawler Jamillete Vellejos. Parker, the current European Flyweight Champion, enjoyed a lengthy ringwalk. She brought with her a raucous group of supporters.
Parker established her credentials early on, looking classy and sharp. Vellejos’ engine and sheer punch output started to tell though as she rushed and smothered Parker, trapping the smaller woman on the ropes and punching anything that she could reach.
After Parker’s strong start, the fight appeared to be tilting in favour of Vellejos’ substance over style. Parker, however, trained with the GB Olympic team and won Gold in the Haringey cup as an amateur, and she quickly adapted.
Parker landed the punch of the night as Vellejos advanced, a blistering overhand right that badly staggered her opponent and got the crowd to its feet. She continued her work, and if the fight had been 30 seconds longer she may well have earned her second stoppage. As it was, Parker took the fight 58-56, holding her arms aloft to soak in York Hall’s well-earned applause.
Frankie Storey took on Ryan Walker for the Southern Area Super-Bantamweight Title. There was huge support for Storey at York Hall in his first title fight, and the Luton boxer took the first few rounds with positive action, while Walker seemed more tentative, hardly surprising given that, of his four previous title fights, three have ended in defeat.
Walker grew more into the fight, starting to ride Storey’s aggression, and the fight became a tad untidy. Walker started to find success with his right hand, and Storey suffered a cut on the brow for his troubles.
Walker looked exhausted by the final round, badly cut and clearly second best to the younger man. Storey took a wide 99-91 victory, securing the area strap and, at the age of just 25, inflating his stock in the British Featherweight division.
One fight that was not a vintage affair, but was in many ways the most entertaining: a “lightweight contest” between the towering Ahmed Hatim and Lovepreet- an unknown fighter competing outside of his native India for the fight time. Both unbeaten, Lovepreet got onlookers chuckling as he showboated, but quickly looked like a schoolboy who suddenly found himself in a boxing ring against an unfrustrated Hatim.
Hurt, turning his back several times and sprinting around the ring to avoid a dominant Hatim, the referee called an end to a bizarre contest, saving Lovepreet from further punishment and bringing one of the stranger fights York Hall has seen to a close in the fourth.
Unbeaten George O’Leary fought CJ Wood at middleweight in a 6 round contest. O’Leary looked relaxed and at ease from the off, using his long reach effectively and marking Wood’s face early on with some short right hands. After easing into the fight, O’Leary then gave York Hall an exhibition, almost skipping round the ring, with CJ Wood a game opponent but providing little more than target practise for "The Machine".
In an all-action round 6, some venomous shots staggered Woods in the last seconds. O’Leary took the contest 60-54, highlighting himself as one to watch in the area middleweight division.
Former Southern middleweight contender Bilal Fawaz, took on Poland's Adam Cieslak. Of Lebanese and Beninese heritage* and though he may be the wrong side of 35, Bilal looked every inch the danger man. Adopting an unorthodox high guard and showing fantastic reflexes and hand speed.
Early on Cieslak suffered a cut to the left eye, and Fawaz soon had his opponent in real trouble, landing shots almost at will. Cieslak, bleeding from the nose, was taking increasing punishment, while Fawaz was almost matador-like, dancing round his opponent and landing shots to both the body and the head. The referee came close to stopping the bout on a few occasions but to his credit the Pole made it to the end of the fight, Fawaz winning 39-37.
Dean Gardner, Dennis Ballazhi, Yaser Al Ghena, Denis Denikajev and Doru Mogos also picked up wins on the card.A great evening of boxing entertainment with some all action fights and intriguing chess matches, as several fighters advanced themselves and staked a claim to their divisions.
MORE PHOTOS FROM BOXMANIA 8
DENIS DENIKAJEV BATTLES WITH BLOODIED EYES TO A 59-55 WIN OVER JAKOB LASKOWSKI
DENNIS BALLAZHI CELEBRATES DROPPING AND STOPPING MARIAN WESOLOWSKI
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