**With Massive Boxing Galley**

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

It was a battle royale of British cruiserweights last night at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield as veterans Lee Swaby of Lincoln and John “Buster” Keaton of Sheffield went at it in a brutal contest on a Fight Academy promotion for the vacant British title.

Just three weeks ago this was to be a final eliminator for the domestic crown but the British Boxing Board of Control then sanctioned it for the vacant title instead when Mark Hobson dropped the belt to challenge WBO Kingpin Enzo Maccarinelli.

Local man Keaton hails from the famed Ingle gym, long a producer of champions such as Naseem Hamed, Johnny Nelson and Junior Witter while the southpaw Swaby came into the contest under the direction of trainer Richard Poxon and handled by promoter Dennis Hobson of Fight Academy.

As promised by Dennis Hobson, this was a war between Swaby, 30, and Keaton, 34, with both men knowing only too well that this could be their last opportunity to win a major championship.

Once the action started the ebb and flow of leather surged from one side of the ring to the other with Swaby trying to keep Keaton at the end of his punches with only limited success. The shorter Sheffield man made Swaby pay anytime the southpaw made the mistake of allowing Keaton in close but it was a tumble that Swaby took in the third frame that changed the complexity of the bout.

Things were never the same for Lee after that as his mobility appeared to be hampered and Keaton teed off on his hobbled foe. A nasty gash opened up on Swaby’s head during the fray in the sixth and it was just a matter of time after that.

The seventh session saw Keaton in fine form, battering the big hearted Lincoln man with a raft of unanswered shots that forced referee Micky Vann’s hand to stop the fight to save the slumped over Swaby from additional ruin.

Keaton was elated to win the British Cruiserweight title and showed good sportsmanship after the bout by raising Swaby’s hand to a round of applause from the crowd.

John Keaton – Lee Swaby

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

The main undercard bout of the evening saw “Magic” Matthew Hatton of Manchester vs Alan Bosworth of Northampton in a British title eliminator at welterweight.

Bosworth had been scheduled to fight Colin Lynes at the York Hall in Bethnal
Green, London the night before but due to that card being canceled being canceled, he took the fight against Hatton on very short notice.

Hatton received huge support from the crowd as he came out in his trademark camouflage shorts, flanked by his trainer Billy Graham, strength coach Kerry Kayes, promoter Dennis Hobson and Matt’s biggest supporter, his brother Ricky Hatton, Ring Magazine’s Light Welterweight Champion of the World.

Both fighters looked geared up for the contest and eagerly came out of their corners in round one. They were well matched and it was clear from the start that this was going to be a war.
Throughout the fight, Hatton was warned by referee Howard Foster for holding on to his opponent, pushing down and failing to break as soon as he was told. Bosworth complained throughout the fight.

The first low blow which came from Hatton saw Bosworth take recovery time in the neutral corner. The following low blows in round nine saw Hatton being docked two points. The low blows were debatable and sadly, this fight was not televised as it would have been interesting to see the infractions close up on a replay so we could see whether the ref was justified to take the points away.

Egged on by trainer Dominic Ingle in his corner, Bosworth milked the declared low blows for all he was worth. By the tenth and final round, referee Howard Foster was clearly at the end of his tether and in the closing minute of the fight, which was doomed with infringements, he disqualifies Hatton!

Hatton’s corner is outraged, as are the fans and a couple of chairs are thrown. Hatton’s trainer Billy Graham is furious and confronts Foster straight away, saying he must be stupid if he couldn’t see what they (Bosworth and his corner) were doing.

Dennis Hobson then goes to Foster to continue the criticism while Ricky Hatton is enraged. Matthew Hatton leaves the ring in disgust and despite Hobson’s pleas, he will not go back in the ring and walks out of the stadium.

I caught up with Matthew and Ricky’s father Ray Hatton later, after the Swaby fight, and asked how Matthew was. “He’s very disappointed” said Ray, then clearly getting annoyed
again, “He was winning by 3 points!”

Alan Bosworth – Matthew Hatton

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Other fights at the Don Valley Stadium:

Lee Noble of Barnsley WTKO6 Jack Hibbert of Sheffield at middleweight.

Sheffield’s John Ibbotson WTKO2 Rob Burton of Barnsley at light heavyweight.

John Ibbotson – Robert Burton

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Adam “The Outlaw'” Kelly of Sheffield WPTS4 Tye Williams of Dewsbury at welterweight.

Adam Kelly – Tye Williams

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

Nicky Smedley of Sheffield WPTS6 John Honney of Basingstoke at welterweight.

Nicky Smedley – Jon Honney

Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing

There were also some high profile people at the venue such as ex-heavyweight world champion Tim Witherspoon, upcoming British Super Featherweight title challenger Femi Fehintola, IBF Light Heavyweight Champion Clinton Woods, WBC Light Welter Champion Junior Witter and former British Heavyweight title challenger Mark Krence.