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British Boxing Report

ByCurtis McCormick

Undefeated Gary Woolcombe Leads the Way With British Masters Title Winning Effort

This weekend was very eventful in the UK and we’ll break down all the action that took place.

We start off this past Thursday at the Marriott Hotel in Seaburn on the North East Coast where there were three two minute round contests that took place. In a battle between southpaws, light welter Paul Holborn outpointed the tricky veteran Daniel Thorpe in a close six round affair while Carlisle’s Tom Hogan saw off the unlucky Christian Laight at welter and hometown hero Martin Marshall spoiled middleweight Alex Stoda’s pro debut. The North East Sporting Club promoted.

At the Heathrow Thistle Hotel, light heavy Mikhail Bamballra was upset by Danny McIntosh in a hotly contested six two minute round bout. Light middle Kevin Phelan pulled out a narrow victory over John Paul Temple while Epsom cruiserweight Tommy Eastwood dominated Tony Booth over four one sided rounds. George Carmen promoted.

Still on Thursday, in the Birmingham suburb of Dudley, Darren McDermott won the British Midlands Area Middleweight belt by bodyshotting titleholder Andy Halder into submission by the fifth round. Also on the card, light welter Martin Gethin remained unbeaten by knocking out hapless journeyman John Paul Ryan in the second, Darlaston’s Stuart Elwell went to 4-0 by outpointing granite jawed welter centurion Ernie “Gypsy” Smith over six and light middle Kyle Taylor got past Dave Hinds over six two minute rounds. EJKO promoted.

Friday saw a Maloney Promotions event at London’s historic York Hall, headlined by Gary Woolcombe. The undefeated Bermondsey sensation stopped tricky dangerman Delroy Mellis over eight rounds to take the British Masters Light Middle belt and take his place among the domestic elite at eleven stone (154lbs). On the undercard flashy cruiser Junior MacDonald handled rugged campaigner Paul Bonson over four, former amateur sensation and Amir Khan nemesis Craig Watson of Manchester won every round against welterweight Ben Hudson while Ian Wilson won a close four round lightweight contest over Ian Reid and Chislehurst light middle Sam Webb made his pro debut by stopping Welshman Geraint Harvey in the first round.

Sunday night at London’s Hammersmith Palais, Joe Pyle Jr’s World Sports Organisation promoted a night of entertaining scraps headlined by Kreshnick Qato’s fourth victory in a row, a dominating eight round performance against novice Daniil Prakapsu at light heavy. Nottingham super feather Barrington Brown saw off Vineash Rungea over six two minute rounds while Irishman Andrew Murray continued his promising career at lightweight with a four round drubbing against luckless Billy Smith. The fireworks of the night were provided by East End cruiserweight Paul Bowen who nullified a 24 pound weight disadvantage by knocking out woeful Gary Thompson in the very first frame. The card was rounded out by promising welter Ashley Theophane outpointing veteran David Kehoe while welterweights Ali Wyatt and Michael Grant fought to a four round standstill.