Ringside Boxing Report: Lee Haskins vs. Don Broadhurst
© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
Friday night, at the Newport Centre in Newport, Wales, Frank Maloney in association with Chris Sanigar hosted a 12-bout fight card which headlined the two-title clash between Lee Haskins and Don Broadhurst.
There was no love lost between these two boxers in the pre-fight run-up which guaranteed action inside the ring.
Although he only has an 11 fight pro record – Broadhurst boxed 42 times for England in the amateurs.
Haskins – with the ‘twitchy’ awkward style of boxing – makes the first move but by mid-way through round one Referee Marcus McDonnell is already warning both men for hitting round back of head. This would be the first of many ‘stops’ by McDonnell. Haskins ‘teases’ with the long right arm then jumps in with the left. Broadhurst takes his time sussing out Haskins in the first couple of rounds.
Haskins continues with his very ‘open’ stance but round three sees both men start to grapple together. Broadhurst smiles as he gets in with a decent left – it’s a better round for him but this is turning out to be a messy fight with wrestling style tactics and hitting back of head.
In the first minute of round four, Haskins dips low again as Broadhurst lunges forward and the Bristol man lifts his opponent over his shoulder almost passing him through the ropes! Seconds later and both men swing around each other and McDonnell calls time out again to get them to clean it up. Both men continue to ‘tangle’ through this fight.
Sky Sports Statistics reveal that Haskins has landed 20 of 124 punches thrown (16% success) while Broadhurst has landed 14 of 96 (14%).
Round six and both men end up in a tangle on the canvas in the last half minute, then moments later Haskins is taken to the corner to get his boot- laces tied. It’s a very stop-start contest for numerous reasons!
The twelfth and final round was as messy as the other eleven! Even Referee McDonnell walked away shaking his head when the final bell sounded.
The final stats revealed that Haskins landed 59 of 361 punches (16%) while Broadhurst landed 36 of 288 (12%)
Haskins wins by Unanimous Decision 117-113; 116-113; 116-113 – His record improves to 20 wins (10 by KO) 2 losses 2 by KO) while Broadhurst drops to 11 wins (3 by KO) 1 loss.
Matthew Edmonds (Newport) v Martin Power (St. Pancras)
6 Round Bantamweight Contest
It was a good all-action contest between these two – Edmonds fighting in front of a homecrowd and both men coming back after a defeat. This was a great fight to watch with both men busy from the ‘off’. Edmonds seemed to be having the better round two until Power landed a neat right to the temple area and Edmonds’s legs buckled.
Managing to keep upright – Edmonds hangs on to Powers’ torso, but moments later he drops to his knees from a right to the head and takes the count. It’s in the last seconds of the round and he is literally ‘saved by the bell’.
‘Too Much’ Power landed some decent head shots mid-way through the third putting Edmonds under pressure, then a decent right to the temple – midway through the fourth – sees Edmonds on the canvas again. A big left just inside the first minute of round five and Edmonds falls to his knees. Referee Wynford Jones has seen enough and – although up for the count – Edmonds is not allowed to continue.
Power wins by fifth round stoppage. He improves to 21 wins (9 by KO) 5 losses (4 by KO) while Edmonds drops to 10 wins (2 by KO) 4 losses (3 by KO.
David Price (Liverpool) v Dmitrijs Basovs (Latvia)
6 Round Hevayweight Contest
‘Big Un’ David Price looked almost embaressed when he won his heavyweight contest in just 33 seconds of round one!
Undefeated Price towered over a very stern looking Dmitrijs Basovs of Latvia. The Latvian got off to the faster start while Price looked him over, but the Liverpudlians first punch – a right (almost an uppercut)to the temple area surprisingly sent Basovs to the canvas. Price looked amazed when Basovs didn’t make the count!
Price wins by TKO round one and improves to 4 wins (3 by KO) while Basovs drops to 3 wins and 3 losses (2 by KO).
Tony Jeffries (Sunderland) v Andrejs Tolstihs (Latvia)
6 Round Heavyweight Contest
Sunderland man – Tony ‘Jaffa’ Jeffries faced Andrejs Tolstihs – but, like Price, didn’t waste time in flooring the Latvian!
Jeffries pressured Tolstihs right from the bell and Tolstihs spent the first half minute covering up. Tolstihs throws a couple of punches but Jeffries digs in some decent body-shots and Tolstihs takes to one knee. Fighting resumes and the Latvian boxer covers up again though he does throw a decent left which lands to the face of Jaffa.
Mid-way through the round a left to the temple area sees Tolstihs stumble to the canvas again but he gets up quickly for the count. Tolstihs is back on the canvas inside the last minute of the first from a clubbing right and Referee Roddy Evans calls a halt to the contest.
Jeffries wins by TKO Round one and improves to 5 wins (4 by KO) while Tolstihs drops to 3 wins (3 by KO) 17 losses ( 5 by KO) 1 draw.
Afterwards, Frank Maloney admitted that both Olympians (Price and Jeffries) had been under-matched – but said that 3 British fighters had been approached for Jeffries and none would take the fight, hence, he had to find European boxers who were an ‘unknown quantity’.
Other Undercard Results include:
Tom Dallas (Chatham, Kent) v Jevgenijs Stamburskis (Latvia)
6 Round Heavyweight Contest
Another quick finish for the Heavyweights as Dallas scores a first round TKO over his Latvian opponent.
Dallas improves to 8 wins (6 by KO) while Stamburskis drops to 6 wins (2 by KO) 24 losses (15 by KO)
Sam Webb (Isle of Dogs, London) v Paul Morby (Portsmouth)
6 Round Light Middleweight Contest
Webb puts Morby on the canvas early in the contest. Morby – who looks to be suffering with his right eye manages to ‘see’ it out to the end of the fight but Webb wins decisively on points 60-54 and improves to 15 wins (4 by KO) 1 loss ( 1 by KO)
While Morby drops to 5 wins and 5 losses (1 by KO)
Karl Place (Manchester) v Dan Stewart (Bristol)
6 Round Light Welterweight Contest
Popular ‘Mexican Mancunian’ aka ‘Bulbhead’ had huge support from sombrero waving fans as he faced Mohican-haired Stewart. Place got off to a fast start securing a second round TKO.
Place improves to 7 wins (4 byKO) no losses, while Stewart drops to 7 wins (1 by KO) 3 losses (2 by KO)
Jamie Arthur (Cwmbran, Wales) v Mickey Coveney (West Ham)
6 Round Featherweight Contest
Arthur wins on points 59-56 and improves to 16 wins (4 by KO) 2 losses (2 by KO)
Coveney drops to 9 wins (1 by KO) 8 losses (2 by KO)
Arthur (who donated his winnings to Charity) now goes on to fight Martin Lyndsey for the British Featherweight Title
Lee Churcher (Newport) v Gavin Brook (Plymouth)
4 Round Middleweight Contest
Brook wins by first round KO to secure his first win. His record now stands at 1 win (1 by KO) 4 losses (2 by KO) and 1 draw
Churcher drops to 3 wins and 1 loss (1 by KO)
Kyle King (Cardiff) v Usman Ahmed (Derby)
4 Round Super Flyweight Contest
A close contest but ‘Uzzy’ secures the points win 59-58 and now goes on to fight Ashley Sexton for the English Title.
His record now stands at 6 wins 2 losses and 1 draw while King drops to 1 win and 1 loss
Lewis Browning (Exeter) v Francis Croes (Middlesborough)
4 Round Super Flyweight Contest
Browning wins on points 40-36 and improves to 3 wins no losses, while Croes drops to no wins and 8 losses.
Tony Hill (Southampton) v Luke Osman (Treharris, Wales)
4 Round Middleweight Contest
Hill wins on points 40-37 and improves to 3 wins (1 by KO) no losses.
Osman drops to 1 win (1 by KO) and 5 losses