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© Bernard Miller / Saddo Boxing
London’s Lenny Daws lost the British light welter title to Motherwell, Scotland’s Barry Morrison when they met in 2007 but with both boxers having very similar ‘stats’ – the rematch at York Hall in Bethnal Green on Friday night proved to be another closely matched contest.
It was a good first round with both men targeting the head, but keeping a high guard. Daws continued with the head-shots in the second frame while Morrison throws a few body punches with one straying a bit low in the second half of the round.
Daws lands a right, followed by a left to the head in the closing half minute but Morrison immediately replies with a left to the body. Morrison swings out a left glove but it doesn’t reach it’s target in the closing seconds.
Both men trade punches in the first half minute of round three and Morrison goes for shots to head then body, in sharp contrast to his opponent as Daws hasn’t thrown body shots yet.
Daws sustains a cut to the right eye area and is marked up under the left eye in round four. Morrison keeps centre of ring and lands a couple of decent rights which find their target on Daws’ face.
It’s a steady round five but Morrison seems to have settled in now and is looking relaxed as he lands rights to the head of Daws.
Round six gets messy as both men do some holding on. Daws seems to have ‘switched on’ during this round as he lands with the left, but Morrison looks unfazed.
It’s a very close contest thus far. Morrison digs in a left to the body which strays low and Daws is given a few seconds to recover in round seven. Daws lands a short right hook to the side of Morrison’s face but Morrison takes it well.
Sky Sports statistics reveal that by this point in the bout it is indeed a very close call! Morrison has landed 81 of 380, 21%, of punches as opposed to Daws’ 20% from his landing 80 of 381 punches thrown!
It will just depend on who ‘steps it up’ in the latter rounds.
Both men increase the work-rate in the eighth and Daws slips to the canvas mid-way through the round but it’s a no-knockdown. Daws lands with the straight right and Morrison swings out a left which falls short again.
Morrison’s guard has dropped lower and Daws gets in with a right followed by two or three left jabs and the crowd erupts. Daws starts to land more shots to Morrison’s face.
Morrison tries for a big uppercut, but seconds later slips face-down on the canvas. It’s ruled a no-knockdown and the bell signals the end of the round just as he gets up slowly from the floor. A good round for Lenny Daws.
Morrison starts the ninth with determination, landing right and left hooks to the face followed by an uppercut which just misses. Fighting stops while Morrison’s gumshield is retrieved.
Daws catches Morrison with a straight left, but moments later the Scot comes back with more hooks to the face of Daws. Daws is annoyed when Morrison’s gumshield comes out again in the closing half minute and boos ring out around the York Hall.
Morrison is looking tired and mid-way through the tenth sinks to his knees – a delayed reaction following a left-right-left hook combination to the head. Looking at his corner, he shakes his head and does not get up for the count.
‘Lightning’ Lenny Daws wins by TKO, round 10 to take the Lonsdale belt. He improves to 20 wins (8 by KO), 1 loss and 1 draw while Morrison drops to 17 wins (7 by KO) and 4 losses (1 by KO).
Matthew Marsh (West Ham) v Josh Wale (Barnsley)
Vacant English Super Bantamweight title
Marsh wins on points, 97-94, but cannot claim the title as he weighed in six ounces over the super bantam limit. His record improves to 12 wins (1 by KO) and 1 loss (1 by KO). ‘Outlaw’ Josh Wale’s record now stands at 8 wins (4 by KO) and 2 losses (1 by KO).
Terry Dunstan (Vauxhall, London) v Krisztian Jaksi (Hungary)
6 Round Cruiserweight Contest
Dunstan on points, 60-54, and improves to 21 wins (12 by KO) and 3 losses (2 by KO). Jaksi slips to 5 wins, 11 losses (1 by KO) and 4 draws
Ben Jones (Crawley) v Gavin Reid (Redcar)
6 Round Featherweight Contest
Contest was a draw at 58-58. Jones goes to 8 wins (2 by KO), 1 loss (1 by KO) and 1 draw while Reid stands at 6 wins (3 by KO), 3 losses (1 by KO) and 1 draw.
Chris Keane (Walsall) v Viktor Szalai (Hungary)
4 Round Cruiserweight Contest
Debutant Keane gets off to a flying start, winning by TKO round 2. Szalai slips to 12 wins (4 by KO), 24 losses (17 by KO) and 3 draws.
Troy James (Coventry) v Elemir Rafael (Slovakia)
4 Round Featherweight Contest
‘Terrifying’ Troy James wins by TKO, round 3. His record now stands at 4 wins (2 by KO), no losses and 1 draw. Rafael drops to 5 wins, 31 losses (12 by KO) and 1 draw.
John Dennard v Arturs Selaves (Coventry)
4 Round Light Middleweight Contest
Debutant Dennard loses out on points, 39-38, to Latvian-born Selaves. Selaves improves to 1 win and 1 loss (loss by KO).
