FRIMPONG SMOKES STOREY TO RECLAIM TITLE: FULL REPORT

all pictures by Matt Tansini INSTA @matttansini77

Lewis Frimpong bulldozed his way to the Southern Area Super-Bantamweight Title on 12th October as York Hall played host to one of the best non-televised shows it has ever seen. The card was packed with title fights and eliminators, and boxing fans were treated to a breathless combination of chess matches, barnstormers, and good old-fashioned slug fests as boxers from up and down the weight classes fought to make their mark on the British boxing scene.

Fight of the night was Lewis ‘Free Smoke’ Frimpong’s triumphant return to Southern Area level as he dismantled title holder Frankie Storey in 8 rounds. Storey had looked fantastic in his victory over Ryan Walker to claim the title earlier this year, but Frimpong was a different prospect altogether. A vastly experienced pressure fighter with a great engine, it was all-action from the first bell.

Frimpong charged forward and swamped Storey, fighting a textbook pressure fight as he tied his man up and unloaded in the clinch. Storey’s skills finding outside shots and looping straights, which had worked so well before, were useless here: Frimpong may be nine years older than his opponent, but he looked very much the more energised of the two.

Storey managed to find some success in rounds 2 and 3, but any shots he landed didn’t seem to affect Frimpong, who repeatedly trapped his man on the ropes in an impressive show of physical strength. ‘Fearless’ Frankie suffered a cut to the eyebrow in the middle rounds, his body and face marking up badly as Frimpong continued his mauling, hammering at Storey with short, chopping shots from both hands.

Some at ringside questioned Frimpong’s use of his head, but the referee saw nothing untoward and Storey, to his credit, didn’t complain, instead biting down on his gumshield and trying vainly to find some room to work his magic. By round 7, however, he was breathing heavily, his left eye almost entirely swollen shut, and his body starting to turn red with his own blood. Storey took a knee at the start of round 8, but the respite was brief, and when he rose, ‘Free Smoke’ was there to greet him.

Storey was retired by his corner at the end of the round, saving him from further injury, as Lewis Frimpong deservedly took his 9th victory in 10 fights, snapping back from his English Title fight defeat earlier in the year and undoubtedly setting himself up for future title shots.

Taiwo Mosuro: a ‘hell of a talent’

Light heavyweight Taiwo Mosuro was also fighting in only his third fight, coming up against the tough Cornish fighter Dylan Courtney. Until this match-up, Courtney had never been stopped. Despite this, Mosuro looked utterly relaxed, fighting out of a faux Philly shell stance and cracking in powerful shots, forcing Courtney to cover up. By the second round, it was utter domination, with Mosuro landing huge uppercuts and hooks.

Courtney was bleeding heavily from the face, barely throwing a punch in response as he covered up. The fight ended in a TKO in round 3, the ref stepping in to save Courtney from his own bravery. Mosuro was described before the fight as a ‘hell of a talent’ by promoter Steve Goodwin, and so it proved: watch this space!

Arguably the loudest fight of the evening was Southern Area Middleweight Title fight between Kinglsey Egbunike and Tyrone King. King’s supporters packed out York Hall, raucously cheering their man to the ring. Inactive for over a year, and with a record of just 5-0-0, Goodwin noted that King was ‘rolling the dice with this one’. Egbunike, the title holder, is a 6-year pro with a 9-3-1 record, who had recently fought for the English title, and looked a forbidding figure as he waited for the fight to begin, unaffected by his opponent’s support.

Despite the crowd’s encouragement, however, what followed was more of a chess match than a barnstormer, with Egbunike content to edge out the rounds using his smarts and experience, and King seemingly reluctant to put the hammer down. King was urged on by his corner with increasing vigour, but he still remained gun shy, while Egbunike looked slick and quick by contrast. The Acton fighter outthought his less-experienced opponent, and by the final round, King needed a stoppage to win.

Tyrone King approaches Obi Egbunike in their Southern Area Title fight

He dropped his guard and looked to come forward, but Egbunike was waiting and closed his trap perfectly. A straight right hurt King badly, and York Hall exploded as Egbunike knocked King down with a second powerful shot, almost sending him through the ropes and into this reporter’s lap. King bravely beat the count, but Egbunike could see a stoppage and didn’t let up, beating King to his knees without an answer, and winning a TKO victory with just 20 seconds left in the fight.

This fight card also saw Bilal Fawaz up against Ryan Amos in an English Super Welterweight Title eliminator. Fawaz is a favourite of Southpaw Jab for his unorthodox style and entertaining fights, while Amos, a former Midlands Area Title holder known as ‘The Punisher’, had an impressive pedigree of his own. With both men in their mid-30s, this was potentially the last chance saloon at a national title.

Amos took round 1 with effective aggression, landing good overhand shots and body work. Here, however, is the great enigma that is Bilal Fawaz: he has always hinted at a massive amount of talent, and at times he looked simply impenetrable, with impressive movement and powerful, intelligent punches. However, he also seems to fight as though he is in a movie, kissing his gloves before throwing a shot, striking bodybuilding poses within range of his opponent, and inexplicably backing away when he had Amos cornered. If there was a gameplan there, we at ringside were mystified as to what it was.

Amos, to his credit, didn’t give any of this a second thought, giving no time to Fawaz’s theatrics and mind-games. By round 6, consensus at ringside had the score at 4-2 to Amos, crediting the Midlands fighter’s effective power shots and aggression. With just 4 rounds remaining, Fawaz really needed to step it up, to turn aggressor and win the rest of the fight. The inexplicable showboating and playacting continued, however, and Amos continued to win rounds.

Fawaz finally gave us what we wanted in round 10, taking the round and landing big shots, but Amos rode it out and finished the fight. Imagine our shock, then, when Bilal Fawaz was declared the winner by a 98-92 margin. At ringside we had almost scored it the opposite! Amos was gracious in defeat, and Fawaz got a lucky break at the English Title. Hopefully he takes it seriously.

Bilal Fawaz is awarded a deabtable win over Ryan Amos

‘The Machine’ George O’Leary was contesting Constantine Williams for the vacant Southern Area Middleweight title on this bill. This reporter was excitedly awaiting O’Leary’s return to the ring, as he had looked impressive in his victory over CJ Wood earlier this year. His opponent Williams, 5 years his senior, had lost for the same title to Paul Gordon back in March. O’Leary had shown great footwork, power and smarts in his previous fight, but he looked a shadow of his former self here. Williams slipped and evaded his shots, punishing the Essex man with some big punches and backing him up.

Round 3 was a major concern for O’Leary as Williams clearly hurt him, the referee starting to hover ominously. Round 4 was an improvement but O’Leary was visibly lagging, his supporters roaring at him to get to work. Things came to an ugly, early end in round 5. Williams badly staggered O’Leary with an uppercut, and after a few more big punches the referee had seen enough.

Williams deservedly took his title at the second attempt, and O’Leary retired to regroup and lick his wounds.

Constantine Williams bullies George O'Leary to the ropes

Super featherweights Sher Khan and Jordan Harding clashed in a 6-round contest. Harding was making his debut, so to be sanctioned by the BBBC for a 6-rounder was a clear marker of his talent. Sher Khan, at 6-0-0, was risking his unbeaten record, but he wanted a challenging fight to inflate his stock. The contest was a high-class affair, with both fighters showing great technical skill. Harding was not overawed by the contest or his opponent, but, while perhaps he was a match in terms of skills, his inexperience started to show.

Khan’s ring smarts allowed him to take rounds, landing eye catching uppercuts and hooks, while Harding lacked industry, instead shipping 3-punch combos from Khan while he seemed to be hunting for the perfect punch. Khan out-manoeuvred his man, and by the final rounds Harding looked a bit out of ideas, unable to pivot or change strategy in the face of his opponent. Khan deservedly took the W, working his game plan to perfection, but Harding is definitely one to watch, and this will be invaluable experience for him going forwards.

Denis Ballazhi also made an appearance; a regular fixture on Goodwin boxing fight bills, he was fighting Manoj Kumar, an Indian fighter with a 3-2-0 record. Goodwin fans will remember the spectacle that was fellow Indian Lovepreet in his ‘fight’ against Ahmed Hatim in March this year, and wondered if Kumar was going to emulate his countrymen and go for a jog around the ring. Their concerns were unfounded, however, as Kumar had clearly come to fight.

Ballazhi was clearly a level above his opponent, but Kumar gave back any shot he took with interest, showing good technique and giving the Albanian fighter pause. He was expending a lot of energy as he evaded Ballazhi, however, and while he was not afraid to throw, the hits were mounting up. The end came in round 3, as Ballazhi penetrated Kumar’s guard. He pinned him in the corner and knocked him down, and the Indian fighter was unable to beat the count. Ballazhi moves to 6 wins from 6, and an area title shot must surely be in the very near future for the ‘Illyrian warrior’.

The final fight of the evening was unfortunately over almost before it had started. Denis Denikajev fought against Matthew King, both fighters holding winning records to contest the vacant Southern Area Super Lightweight title. Denikajev is a former English champion and clearly has lofty aspirations, but he suffered a disappointing turn of fate here. A heavy clash of heads in round 1 opened a huge gash on Denikajev’s head. The fight was immediately waved off as a technical draw by the ring doctor, as they tried to stem the flow of blood.

So, some stoppages, some surprises, and no shortage of punches at York Hall as Goodwin Boxing delivered yet another masterclass in small-hall action.