Ringside Boxing Report: Wayne Elcock – Vinnie Baldassara
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The International Convention Centre in Birmingham, England was the place to be last Friday night as Ken Purchase of Ringside Promotions staged a quality boxing card/dinner event headlined by ex-WBU Middleweight Champ Wayne Elcock meeting durable Scotsman Vinnie Baldassara for the vacant WBF International Middleweight belt.
While the main event was a dramatic affair that ended mid-way through it’s scheduled length as the result of a bracing combination from local hero Elcock, something must be said first
as to the pre-fight activities.
This was a boxing dinner show with formal attire required and attendees were dressed to impress as they congregated in the reception area of Hall 3 of the ICC for pre-dinner drinks.
The hall itself was set with elegant dining tables decorated in white dressing surrounding a boxing ring. The ring perimeter was adorned with sporting memorabilia ready for the charity auction to be held after the meal; items included a signed David Beckham shirt.
Promoter Ken Purchase was, as I had heard previously, indeed a great guy; he insisted on taking me to the pre-fight weigh-ins of the under-card boxers (Wayne Elcock having already weighed in on the day before). The fighters that were to make their pro debuts weighed in quickly, as did Welsh light middle Chris Brophy, scheduled to fight Danny Mitchell.
The atmosphere was relaxed and jokey, although former WBC Super Middleweight Champion Richie Woodhall adopted his usual “cool” look as he coaxed his four “lads” to get their photo taken. Richie and his father Len train “Team Ringside”, which consists of middleweight Leigh Hallet, light heavy Lee Jones, middle James McKinley and light middle Danny Mitchell.
Richie Woodhalls Team
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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Leigh Hallet was the last boxer I saw to be weighed as he was still waiting for his opponent, who had been caught up in a traffic jam on the M6.
After a three-course meal, there was a short auction of items (where the Beckham shirt went for £1600, equal to $3000 US dollars) before the boxing started.
After the preliminary events had run their course, Birmingham favorite Wayne “Mad Dog” Elcock, 16-2 (7), was surrounded by flag bearing ring card girls as he stepped in to the ring to face his impatiently waiting opponent, Vinnie Baldassara, 7-3-2 (3).
Moments before, a Elvis impersonator dressed in a white jeweled Las Vegas-style “all-in-one” had sung to the audience as they sat at their dinner tables.
Once the action started. the first three rounds of the contest saw Elcock boxing the better of the two fighters, although neither fighter was particularly impressive.
Baldassara, the 27 year old from Clydebank, had a better fourth round as a couple of the Scotsman’s shots caused Elcock’s head to snap back from their force.
The start of the fifth round was delayed by several seconds while one rather enthusiastic ring card girl stayed a bit too long in the ring! Referee Howard Foster coaxed her out while keeping the fighters waiting in the middle of the ring, much to the amusement of the crowd!
Round five saw Elcock sustain a cut to the left brow and by the sixth frame, “Mad Dog”, perhaps sensing some urgency now with his cut, launched a barrage of shots. With half a minute of the round to go in the sixth, Elcock landed a serious right hand to the head followed by a spearing left hook to the body which floored Baldassara.
Referee Foster gave the stricken man a full 10 count but Baldassara was in no position to get up as he writhed in agony on the canvas.
It was a worrying time for everyone as Baldassara gasped for breath, now surrounded by corner men and the ringside doctor. After a few minutes, he rose to his feet and touched his ribs in recognition of the blow he’d received.
It was announced to the audience that Vinnie Baldassara, who had never previously been stopped, had taken the fight at just a weeks notice after three previous opponents for Elcock had pulled out.
Wayne Elcock – Vinnie Baldassara
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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In other action on the card,
Middleweight Leigh Hallet, of Walsall, defeated Nottingham’s John Foster on points 59-56 over six two minute rounds.
Leigh Hallet – Jon Foster
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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Birmingham’s James McKinley narrowly edged Mark Phillips of St. Clares, Wales at middleweight, 39-38, over four rounds.
James McKinley – Mark Phillips
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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Local light middle Danny Mitchell of Birmingham stopped Swansea’s Chris Brophy on a cut in the second during a scheduled four rounder.
Chris Brophy – Danny Mitchell
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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And in perhaps the most impressive contest of the night, one of Chris Sanigar’s fighters,
Cello Renda of Peterborough, came out like a human tornado to stop Coventry’s Hamid Janali in the first round.
Cello Renda – Hamed Jamali
Click for larger image © Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
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A fight between light heavyweights Lee Jones and Nicky Taylor was canceled.
For five years, Birmingham businessman and life long boxing fan Ken Purchase has enjoyed enormous success in promoting celebrity dinner shows where ex-champions like Jake La Motta, Steve Collins, Nigel Benn, Ken Norton, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns meet the fans.
But after taking out his promoters licence, on Friday night at the ICI, Ken made the jump to promoting actual boxing to go along with his dinner shows.
Featured in attendance for this card were Jake La Motta, in what is most likely to be the
82 year old’s final tour of the UK, and also included upcoming British Light Middleweight title challenger Matt Macklin, former WBC Welterweight Champion John H. Stracey and legendary Irish heavyweight Joe Egan.