Tomi Tatham Vs Erik Mokonzo: Ringside Report

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It was a thrilling end to Steve Wood – VIP Boxing Promotions’ show in Manchester last night, as Tomi Tatham and Erik Mokonzo battled it out for the Challenge Title belt. After an exciting all-action four rounds, Mokonzo was eventually stopped in the fifth (of eight).

The show at the Victoria Warehouse, Manchester, played host to eleven contests in total, which included Blackpool’s Jack Arnfield winning an eight round Middleweight contest – scoring a second round TKO over Alistair Warren of Huddersfield.

Full results as follows:

Tomi Tatham (Bentham, Yorks) v Eric Mokonzo (Bethnal Green, via Congo)
8 x 3 Light-Heavyweight Challenge Title

At the start of the bout, Referee John Latham is clearly not overly happy with Mokonzo’s guard which is high on his waist and tries to push it down. He needn’t have worried though – as Tatham’s body-shots weren’t affected(!) Fighting begins.

Mokonzo surprised Tatham by coming out all guns blazing in the opening seconds of this contest but Mokonzo was quickly on the canvas from a swinging right shot. He jumped up and both men took shots – both being wobbled this round. Round two and I couldn’t decide whose legs looked the most unsteady! The two men were both going for it – looking to land bombs, before Tatham was urged to calm down by his corner. Mokonzo was clearly looking for the knockdown and it was an exciting few rounds as they took it in turns to score notable shots. Tatham takes some head-shots at the start of the third but he settles down this round and begins piling in the body-shots and in the fourth round Mokonzo took a heavy left to the body which saw him roll across the canvas. Tatham goes for it and Mokonzo is on the canvas again from another body-shot. Tatham continues to target the body as Mokonzo covers up to recover and is literally saved by the bell.

Round five and Referee John Latham is still trying to push down the guard of Mokonzo. Mokonzo drops back on to the ropes this round but it is deemed a no knockdown, then, just moments later, the fight is stopped by Referee Latham as Mokonzo takes head-shots while backed on the ropes.

Tatham wins by TKO in 1 min 18 of round five.

Jack Arnfield (Blackpool) v Alistair Warren (Huddersfield)
8 x 3 Middleweight Contest

Warren looks like he’s feeling the effects of Arnfields’ body-shots in round two and was pinned in the neutral corner under a barrage of shots when Referee Steve Grey stepped in to stop the contest.

Arnfield wins by TKO 2.04mins of round 2

Ryan Doyle (Gorton) v Ismail Anwar (Huddersfield)
6 x 3 Feather-weight Contest

In the second round, Anwar is backed on the ropes and subjected to a barrage of shots that seems to go on for ages with nothing coming back. As he starts to topple – Referee Darren Sarginson waves it off.

Doyle wins by TKO round 2

Adam Machaj (Oswaldtwistle) v Ferenc Zsalek (Hungary)
4 x 3 Heavyweight Contest

Another quick night for ‘Heatseeker’ Machaj – scoring a KO Round 1

Lee Gillespie (Irlam) v Youssef Al Hamidi (Dewsbury)
4 x 3 Light-Welterweight Contest

Gillespie wins on points 40-36

Dale Coyne (Ancoats) v Dan Blackwell (Trowbridge)
4 x 3 Super-Middleweight Contest

Coyne wins on points 40-37

Sean Ben Mulligan (Prestwich) v Kristian Laight (Nuneaton)
4 x 3 Welterweight Contest

Mr.Reliable Laight surprisingly found himself on the canvas in round 1, but continued as normal to the end of the fight.

Mulligan wins on points 40-35

Ben Sheedy (Debut) (Sale) v Robert Studzinski (Llanelli, Wales)
4 x 3 Middleweight Contest

Debutant Sheedy put in some nice boxing – using every move you could think of (!) but then gets caught at the end of the second round. An over excited Sam Hyde (also from Sale) is shouting through the ropes ringside and has to be moved on by officials. Round three and Sheedy is urged to ‘keep it simple and jab’. It seems he prefers to try the fancier shots though. Good to watch and will be interesting to see how he progresses.

Sheedy gets the points’ win 40-37

Charlie Schofield (Manchester) v Andy Neylon (Hull)
4 x 3 Cruiserweight Contest

Schofield gets the points’ win 40-36

Chris Monaghan (Salford) v Lewis van Poetsch (Lydney)
4 x 3 Super-Middleweight Contest

Poetsch’s nose is bloody by the end of the opening frame, yet Monaghan’s body-shots are more notable. Poetsch’s face is covered in blood in round three from the addition of a cut left brow.

Monaghan wins on points 40-37

Luke Evans (Salford) v Liam Richards (Melksham)
4 x 3 Super-Lightweight Contest

Richards seemed to be distracted by his fringe flopping over his face(!) he also sustained a cut behind the left ear.

A messy fight between these two, but Evans gets the points’ win 40-36