Menay Edwards Vs Matty Askin Ringside Report

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It was a sad end to the boxing in Blackpool last night, when Menay ‘Emperor’ Edwards was stretchered out of the ring following a ninth round knockdown by local man Matty Askin.

Askin of Blackpool was defending his English Cruiserweight Title against Londoner Edwards who – despite a difficult first two or three rounds – seemed to settle down and start to score rounds.

It was an enthralling contest but the knockdown in the ninth came as a surprise and saw Edwards on the canvas. He got to his feet but Referee Michael Alexander waved the fight off deeming Edwards in no state to continue. The Londoner was noticeably ‘out of it’ and struggled to get to his corner. After some confusion in the ring – he lay on the canvas while being tended to by the ringside Doctor and Medics and was finally stretchered off.

Edwards is being monitored at hospital in Blackpool suffering a bleed on the brain. We hope that he makes a full recovery.

Afterwards, it emerged that Askin had injured his right hand in the second half of the fight.

The Steve Wood (VIP) and Hatton Promotions Show at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens hosted ten undercard bouts.

During an intermission, Boxer AJ.Faizy and boxing trainer – Barry Higginson, were presented with an Award.

Having fled Afghanistan aged 14 and then becoming homeless four years later – AJ was taken in by his coach – Higginson and has won two contests so far, both by KO.

Undercard Results:

Louis Cuddy (Liverpool) v Jindrich Velecky (Czech Republic)
6 x 3 Cruiserweight Contest

‘El Campino’ Cuddy put in a solid performance against Velecky. The Liverpool ‘powerhouse’ sank in a number of body-shots and uppercuts and the Czech boxer – who sustained a nick to the left brow and bloody nose in the fourth – did well to see it to the end of the sixth.

Cuddy on points 60-54

Rendall Munroe (Leicester) v Youssef Al Hamidi (Dewsbury)
4 x 3 Featherweight Contest

TwoTone Munroe looked relaxed during his contest against Syrian-born Al Hamidi who targeted the Leicester mans’ mid-torso. Popular Munroe gets the job done with a 40-36 points win.

Craig Boardman (Atherton) v Dee Mitchell (Birmingham)
4 x 3 Welterweight Contest

Boardman 40-36

Ashley Peyton (Leigh) v Ibrar Riyaz (Reading)
4 x 3 Welterweight Contest

Peyton gets the points win against experienced Riyaz (40-37)

James Metcalfe (Liverpool)v Liam Griffiths (Bognor Regis)
4 x 3 Light-Middleweight Contest

Griffiths found himself on the canvas at the start of the opening round, then moments later was lifted and ‘plonked’ down on the canvas in a wrestling-style move (which wasn’t counted).

Metcalfe had great physique and dug in some powerful body-shots, with Griffiths being forced to hold-on during round two.

Metcalfe gets the points win (40-35)

Qasim Niaz (Blackburn) v Danny Donchev (Rosehill, London)

4 x 3 Welterweight Contest

Popular Niaz scored a points win (40-36) over Bulgarian-born Donchev.

Ricky Skelton (Penrith) v Gary Cooper (Bargoed, Wales)
6 x 3 Light-Middleweight Contest

Twitchy boxer –Skelton, was probably hoping for a quick finish instead of a points win (60-54).

The Penrith boxers’ wife was apparently in Labour while he was boxing at Blackpool (!)

Danny Watson (Bolton) v Jamie Zaszlos (Barnsley)
4 x 3 Welterweight Contest

The Bolton ‘Phantom’ was disappointed with his performance but still secured a points win of 39-38.

Mick Hall (Preston) v Max Maxwell (Birmingham)
4 x 3 Middleweight Contest

Hall gets a points win against experienced Maxwell 40-37

Adam Little (Kirkham) v George Watson (South Shields)
6 x 3 Welterweight Contest

Hatton trained Little was back after an almost 18 month enforced break due to a hand injury.

Targeting Watson with the left and throwing in a couple of decent right upper-cuts, Little got the win on points 60-54