AN INSIDE the distance win over outgunned Sam Maxwell at the Sheffield Arena for British champion and local lad Dalton Smith meant that not only did he nab the Liverpudlian’s Commonwealth super-lightweight title but that he was able to take the Lonsdale Belt home for keeps.
Having made the busier start Dalton landed a nice right over the top of Maxwell’s jab in the second but he wasn’t having it all his own way and had to eat a real hammer of a right in the dying embers of the next, Sam’s best shot of the night.
Having further enhanced his lead there was a sudden setback for Smith when a clash of heads early in the fifth left him with a nasty looking wound above the right eye, one that prompted Maxwell to redouble his efforts.
Smith remained undeterred, however. Jamie Sheldon did a great job on the cut and Dalton came out firing in the sixth, his sustained attacks appeared to have Maxwell touching down at one point though there was no count.
Sam made it to the bell, albeit under fire. Just 94 seconds of the seventh had elapsed when the Liverpudlian was sent over by a shuddering and savage right hand in centre ring. Newark referee Kevin Parker quite rightly dispensed with the count and there was a classy touch from Dalton (cut by the left eye too by the finish) who out of concern for the welfare of opponent refused to properly celebrate until it was clear that Sam was okay.
There is little doubt that Sunderland’s Pat McCormack is something special and he excelled here in a scheduled 10 against experienced Mountain Ash operator Tony Dixon, dominating to such a degree that the towel came in from the Welshman’s corner during the interval at the end of the fourth.
It did look midway through the first, when he rocked Tony with a right, that Pat might be in for a very early night but with referee Mr Alexander looking closely and McCormack looking to land one more to finish the job, Dixon hanged tough.
There were a couple of replies from the underdog but Pat was fleet of foot enough to ensure that not an awful lot landed while his own work, varied and accurate, just kept coming.
A cracker of a right uppercut snapped back Tony’s head in the fourth before with just seconds of the session remaining a left through the middle and a big right sent him over sideways. The retirement moments later came as no surprise.
Another retirement, this one at the end of the seventh of one more scheduled for ten, saw stylish Leeds puncher Hopey Price bag an 11th paid win, his latest victim being Bloxwich’s James Beech Jnr who just couldn’t get in close enough, often enough, to land anything of any real significance.
Quick combinations on the back of the jab proved the order of the day for Hopey and he was well ahead and upping the ante by the time an accidental head clash late in the sixth left Jimmy nursing a cut left eye, another wound by the right eye in the very next session prompting the corners decision at the bell to save their man for another day.
Hull went in against Hartlepool in a bout to decide the vacant English lightweight title with Hull’s always on the move Lewis Sylvester picking up a unanimous decision victory over Hartlepool’s constantly jabbing Adam Cole at the finish, judges Kieran McCann and Kevin Parker both having it 96-94 and Mike Alexander having it closer a 96-95.
This one was an odd one from the point of view that opinion was split, unsurprising one might think for a bout scored so closely, but the oddity was that a quick straw poll amongst seasoned press ringsiders revealed not a single one who hadn’t scored for the Hartlepool man, several having him a wide winner! For what it’s worth I thought that Adam, pressing and showing a good deal more intent, had been busier and landed the more eye-catching shots. Kenny Pringle refereed.
Heavy-handed Rotherham prospect Junaid Bostan, having previously won all five early, was taken the distance for the first time by Nottingham’s similarly unbeaten Ryan Amos and was forced to settle for taking the 79-73 decision of Mr McCann.
Making the best of his natural advantages Junaid kept it long, jabbed off the back foot, and then nipped in to land several precise uppercuts. Ryan had his moments, his best work probably being late in the sixth and early in the seventh but by the last Bostan was in the ascendancy once more and he closed out the bout with a nice body-shot.
Mansfield’s Nico Leivars had his first outing of the year and handed Spaniard Alberto Motos his first defeat in five with Mike Alexander scoring 59-55 at the finish. A smile never far away, Nico enjoyed himself, sending the visitor’s gumshield flying as early as the first and he repeated the feat in the last.
A win too for Heckmondwike’s Cory O’Regan who proved too much for Seaham’s Jordan Ellison in front of a smattering of early arrivals. Referee McCann scored this one 60-54 with southpaw O’Regan especially impressive from the midway point onwards.
Former top Brazilian amateur Beatriz Ferreira earned an 80-72 decision over Mexican Karla Ramos Zamora after eight-twos. Karla, outclassed by a distance and having picked up some early damage to the nose, grew increasingly disconsolate to the point it would not have been a surprise to see her pulled out. She soldiered on though and deserves credit for doing so.