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 Click for larger image © Richard Eberline |
Former WBO Middleweight and Super Middle champ Chris Eubank was in attendance and when he climbed through the ropes, the crowd cheered wildly and seemed to forget all about the previous debacle.
Another debutante was next, this time local lad Paul McCloskey who was set face David Kehoe in the welterweight class. McCloskey (black trunks with gold trim) had a difficult |
assignment his first time out. Kehoe appeared far older and from the start was clowning around and using his vast experience advantage to try and keep the kid off balance.
Note: click the below images to see larger ones © Richard Eberline
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The young southpaw warily advanced at the grinning, mugging and mocking Kehoe with a deadly serious look in his eye.
There were some spirited exchanges but soon the novice began to figure out the journeyman and began to focus despite the distractions.
Eventually Kehoe began to absorb a beating as McCloskey rammed home hard shots with increasing regularity.
After a particularly effective shot that had Kehoe reeling on the ropes, his corner threw in the towel. The referee never saw it and Kehoe’s cornermen avidly tried to get his attention. They did get Kehoe’s attention however, as he dropped his guard and took a solid punch to the jaw for his troubles. The ref finally saw he towel and waved the action off. Afterward McCloskey enjoyed the win with his trainer.
Now the main event of the evening was at hand. Michael Pass strode about the empty ring, clearly relishing the surge of energy coming from the crowd .
I spotted Frank Maloney, who was part of Sports Network’s webradio coverage of the bill, and the manager tried to look nonplussed despite the legion of screaming fans right behind him. The throngs were going mad as they awaited Belfast hero Eamonn Magee’s ring entrance.
Suddenly an eerie green light shone from the back of the arena. The crowd hushed momentarily until they realized this was the start of Magee’s entrance at which point they really began to go mad.
Magee’s improbable comeback from a bone shattering physical assault and subsequent major surgery was clearly driving the crowd to further heights. The fact that he would have to defend his WBU belt after a long layoff and against a former world title challenger in Allan Vester simply made for more excitement.
The fight started off with Magee (green, white and orange trunks) wasting very little time letting his intentions known. The southpaw headed straight for Vester.
Vester proved he was no easy quarry though, circling the advancing Magee and clearly determined not to be pinned down.
Magee was showing a bit of ring rust and was missing with lunging left hands. The Danish Vester took advantage of those missteps with spearing counter punches that more embarrassed Magee then hurt him.
Soon the Irishman was gaining ground as Vester began to tire from all the footwork. When Magee did get in close, the Dane tried to grab on, sending the WBU Welter titlist into a rage. Magee flailed wildly in throwing Vester off and went right back to stalking his prey.
The defending champ began to land his jab with regularity as he rediscovered is timing, much to Vester’s dismay.
Soon Magee was bouncing booming left hands off of Vester’s head and the import simply couldn’t withstand the power. He took a knee three times, beating the count in each instance but after the third knee, referee Micky Vann had seen enough and waved the fight off.
The King’s Hall erupted with delight and the fans high-fived each other, enjoying the return of the city’s leading fighter. Soon the boisterous crowd filed out into the warm Belfast spring night,leaving just those who had worked the event. In the end it was another well run Sports Network event held in a great venue which is located in a fantastic fight town.
Richard Eberline can be reached at richardeberline@fastmail.fm
