Ringside Boxing Report: Matthew Hatton – Vladimir Borovski
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British welterweight contender Matthew Hatton was in action yesterday afternoon on a Fight Academy bill at the Octagon in Sheffield, England, engaging in a spirited bout with tough as nails Ukrainian light middle Vladimir Borovski over eight rounds.
Although possessing a humble record, Borovski, 19-20 (9), has faced a laundry list of the top British and Eastern European competition and certainly didn’t come to Sheffield to give Hatton an easy day’s work.
Displaying useful aggression, Hatton, 29-3-1 (11), was made to work from the opening bell by the persistent import and used the opportunity to air out his playbook of combinations and especially a crisp right hand that at times braced the willful Ukrainian.
After six rounds, Hatton took the referee’s scorecard 60-55 and gets back on track towards his immediate goal of a domestic championship after being disqualified from a British title eliminator against Alan Bosworth in October.
Also on the bill, ex-British Welterweight Champion David Barnes continued his comeback from a devastating loss to the then Commonwealth titlist Joshua Okine a year and a half ago by posting his third straight victory.
Like Matthew Hatton, Barnes was facing a busy Soviet-bloc fighter, Belarus welter Vadzim Astapuk, over a six round distance. While he won on the cards 59-55, Barnes had a bit more difficulty than did Hatton.
The Manchester speedster had trouble finding his rhythm early as many of his combinations missed the mark but midway through the bout Barnes seemed to have that ironed out until he hurt both hands on the head of Astapuk, 8-11-1 (2).
All in all, Barnes, 20-1-1 (10), got in his most rounds of action since the Okine loss and looks forward to continuing his work with new promoters Fight Academy and new trainer Bob Shannon.
Another standout on the bill was local Sheffield based welterweight prospect Nick Smedley.
The undefeated stylist, 8-0 (2), worked out on Manchester based Egyptian Imad Khamis, 1-9-1 (1), battering the hapless North African southpaw across the ring until canvassing Khamis with a full blooded right hand and then ending matters with a spearing body shot.
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