Ringside Boxing Report: Carl Johanneson – Femi Fehintola
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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There was fantastic support at the Metrodome in Barnsley, England last night for the Maloney Promotions/Fight Academy Championship Boxing event, billed as “Unleashed”, and headlined by British Super Featherweight Champion Carl Johanneson defending against undefeated challenger Femi Fehintola.
The audience in attendance was huge with the rival Leeds (backing Johanneson) and Bradford (for Fehintola) supporters singing and chanting, each side trying to out-do the other.
Johanneson, the favourite, enters the ring with his team holding up his British title belt. It’s a step-up in class for the 24 year old Femi Fehintola, who walks to the ring with Fight Academy promoter Dennis Hobson and trainer Richard Poxon.
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It’s a good first round for both boxers. Fehintola’s lip is bleeding as he walks back to his corner at the end of the initial frame and as they start round two, referee Howard Foster urges them to watch their heads.
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In the closing stages of the second, the strong Johanneson lands a great right hander, forcing Fehintola back on the ropes, but equally as fast, Fehintola spins Johanneson around and is landing shots on the champion.
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Round three sees Johanneson continuing with some good body shots. There’s a bit of brawling against the ropes and ref Howard Foster tells them to “sort it out”. Midway through the third, Fehintola goes down for the first time but in my opinion it was a tap of a shot and it looks more like a slip than anything else. But, kneeling on the canvas, Fehintola looks towards his corner, appearing shocked by the knockdown and his big eyes look wider than ever!
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The following few seconds see Fehintola holding on, trying to regain his composure, before coming back with a good right hand and only a second later, the challenger goes down again with another punishing bodyshot from Johanneson, which looked to be low.
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Fehintola grimaces but jumps back up to his feet while his corner protests to referee Foster that it’s a low blow but it has gone unnoticed and Femi is given an eight count again.
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Round four and Fehintola is edging his way back in the fight but clearly does not like the body punches that Johanneson is inflicting. Both fighters pick away at each other during round five. Foster warns Fehintola for holding Johanneson’s arm and then in the last seconds of the round, the challenger goes down again. Fehintola looks hurt as he stares across at his corner, taking the full eight count.
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The bell sounds the end of the round and as he sits in his corner, trainer Richard Poxon tells him he can have one more round, “throw that right!”, Poxon urges, following it up with “promise me!”
Round six and and after just 40 seconds, Fehintola is down again for the fourth time this fight. He looks at his corner and Howard Foster takes a close look at him as he counts.
Fehintola gets back up but takes a barrage of punches from Johanneson, who has him pinned in his own (Fehintola’s) corner. The towel is ready in the hand of Richard Poxon as Howard Foster steps in to stop the fight after a minute and 25 seconds of round six.
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Johanneson goes over to hug Fehintola as he sits for a moment – distraught – in his corner.
Afterwards, Johanneson said Fehintola is a “Good kid, he came to fight’”. Carl’s manager Rick Manners assures Sky TV’s reporter Adam Smith that with the Team (Frank Maloney and the Ingles) that Carl Johanneson WILL be a world champion.