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Last night at the characterful York Hall, Bethnal Green in London, England, Esham Pickering and Matthew Marsh slugged it out for the British Super Bantamweight title on a Hennessy Sports promoted fight night.
The champion Pickering was looking to win the Lonsdale Belt outright as he defended it a second time – this time to younger, less experienced opponent in the 25 year old Marsh.
On home-ground, Marsh, from West Ham, was wearing his usual claret and blue trunks. ‘Brown Sugar’ Pickering was sporting a skin-head haircut bearing a bleached blonde raised logo of “Jordan”.
The contest gets off to a fast start and Marsh is keen to impress – getting straight to work on Pickering and looks to have taken the first round.
Pickering is under pressure in the opening minute of round two as Marsh unloads a number of shots backing, the champion onto the ropes. Using combinations and body-punches, Marsh looks to over-power Pickering, who sees out the end of the tough round.
Pickering leaves himself wide-open in round three, getting caught with more shots from his younger opponent. Marsh keeps focussed while adopting a ‘tight’ defence. There’s a ‘nick’ under the left eye of Pickering.
It’s a more evenly matched round four as Pickering seems to regain his composure, but he sustains a cut to the right eye in round five.
In round seven, Pickering lands some good body-shots. SkySports fight stats reveal that although Pickering has thrown slightly the more punches, 406 to 374, Marsh has the better success rate of 24% compared to 19% for the champion.
The eighth looks a messy round and Marsh isn’t looking as ‘sharp’, although he throws slightly more punches. Trainer Johnny Eames is clearly frustrated as his charge returns to the corner and he tells Marsh that he has to win the next three rounds (although there are four rounds to go).
Both men ‘dig in’ during round nine and the crowd cheer their appreciation.
With just over a minute of round ten to go, Marsh lands a left followed by a right and Pickering clearly ‘felt’ it but – at this crucial time – Referee Mickey Vann has to call time-out as the tape on Marsh’s glove has come loose. The crowd boo their disapproval at the delay.
Trainer Carl Greaves urges Pickering, saying ‘How much do you want this? Come on – you’ve got to dig-in now’ as his fighter sits in the corner at the end of round ten.
In the opening half minute of round eleven, Pickering takes a good right punch from Marsh and a minute later Marsh lands another right and Pickering is forced back to the ropes under a barrage and it seems the champion’s energy has been sapped. The crowds are cheering and whistling at the end of the round.
Johnny Eames is excitedly telling Marsh ‘You’re nearly there! You’re nearly there!’ But it’s a more subdued Pickering corner.
The twelfth and final round and both men are caught by shots. Mickey Vann warns Pickering for forcing Marsh against the ropes and pushing his head in and the crowd ‘boo’.
Both men are tired now, but even in the last half minute of this exciting frame – Marsh pins Pickering on the ropes. As the bell signals the end of the round – Team Marsh lift their man aloft believing him to have won the fight. “Marshy, Marshy” the crowd chant and clap.
Marsh wins the British Super Bantamweight title by unanimous points decision 117-111; 116-13 and 115-113.
Afterwards, speaking with Ed Robinson – Marsh said he was ‘over the moon, I’ve been waiting for this for four years – since I turned pro. I can’t believe it. I worked hard for it, though’.
A clearly delighted Johnny Eames said it was great to have a champion back in the gym.
Marsh improves to 10-1 (1) while Pickering loses for the second time over his last three contests to fall to 33-7 (13).
On the undercard, former British Light Welter titlist Lenny Daws, 16-1-1 (6), defeated France based Romanian Mihaita Mutu, 23-13-2 (9), in a ten rounder by a score of 100-91.
Southpaw welter prospect John O’Donnell, 17-1 (6), dropped opponent Jay Morris twice enroute to a sixth and final round stoppage and ex-European and British light middle title challenger David Walker, 25-4-1 (12), suffered a disastrous loss to 21 year old Peterborough novice JJ Bird, 4-1-1 (0), by a score of 39-38 after four rounds.
