Boxing Photos: Tshifhiwa Munyai – Lee Haskins
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Maloney Promotions put on another entertaining scrap this evening and if the Commonwealth Bantamweight dustup between champion Tshifhiwa Munyai of South Africa and southpaw challenger Lee Haskins at London’s York Hall didn’t reach the epic proportions of last week’s Maloney sponsored Moore – Macklin war, it was still certainly a good fight to watch either in person or on Sky Sports’ broadcast.
Round one: Despite facing a man two weight classes higher than the foes he normally mixes with, Commonwealth Flyweight titlist Haskins confidently jumps in with his shots in the Naseem Hamed style that he is known for. The amazingly tall bantamweight Munyai is clearly not sure what to make of his opponent’s style thus far and loses the round to Lee.
Round two: The champion is missing widly because of the great reflexes of Haskins. The South African still looks strong, even though he is getting countered with some hard shots by the cat-quick Englishman from the rough and tumble city of Bristol. Lee’s round again.
Round three: The tide has begun to turn as the savvy African is far more successful. It seems that Munyai has begun to get the rhythm of Haskin’s strategy of awkwardness in the third and has Lee not only missing wildly but eating serious counter punches as well. A bit of extra-curricular action came after the bell ended the third when an angry Haskins tagged Munyai with a jab but then paid the price as the champion took offense and slashed in a good hook to turn the bout officially into a grudge match. Munyai’s round.
Round four: At the beginning of the fourth, the referee Micky Vann has words with both fighters about the illegal activity but soon the rivals are again at it. Haskins is on the back foot for the first half of the round then trades in the second half with Munyai and comes off better. A new development sees Munyai going for the body to slow down the fleet-footed challenger and it looks like the tourist has found a weakness.
Round five: Munyai is making no bones about his intentions and is simply body hunting the shorter man. Just when it looks as if Munyai has turned into Ricky Hatton, he catches Haskins with a full-blooded headshot. Lee takes it well and even has success with a sharp looking one combo but the fifth is another round for Munyai, who looks better the longer the fight goes on.
Round six: It’s now all Munyai as the towering champion is battering Haskins just as he battered British Champion Martin Power a little over three months ago in this very same boxing ring. The leatherstorm continues and Haskins is nearly out on his feet and it looks as if his corner is may be ready to stop the slaughter. Micky Vann is giving Haskins every chance but his hand is forced when Munyai rattles off a mean looking four punch combination, stopping Haskins who was still on his feet but clearly no longer in the fight.
Tshifhiwa Munyai has retained his Commonwealth Bantamweight title for the first time and was clearly too much for Lee. Haskins at this point in his career needs to move down in weight, at least to super flyweight if he can, and regroup.
During his postfight interview on Sky, Lee said that Munyai was very strong and faster than he looked against Martin Power. “He came here and just ruined my world,” remarked a dejected Haskins, “I won’t be moving down (in weight) again.”
Munyai was quoted as saying “He gave me trouble at first but I just stuck with my boxing.”
Will Maloney Promotions bring Munyai back to England a third time? Is there any bantamweight in Britain who can last twelve rounds with the tall tourist from South Africa?
Tshifhiwa Munyai – Lee Haskins
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Junior MacDonald – Tommy Eastwood
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Tommy Eastwood WTKO 2 Junior MacDonald cruiserweight
Flashy Lewisham prospect MacDonald had sailed through all six of his opponents since turning pro last year but the tall Londoner had no answers to the problems posed stocky Epsom cruiserweight Eastwood who wins the vacant Southern Area belt with this victory.
Ian Napa – Delroy Spencer
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Ian Napa WPTS 6 Delroy Spencer bantamweight
Cagey Ian Napa of Hackney, London has given a lot of trouble to such big names on the domestic UK scene as Damaen Kelly, Martin Power and Mark Callaghan during losing causes and as expected didn’t have a lot of problems with 38 year old Wolverhampton veteran Delroy Spencer. As a reward, Napa just may be the next man to try and take the Commonwealth crown off of Brit killer Tshifhiwa Munyai.
Kevin Phelan – Jackson Osei Bonsu
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Jackson Osei Bonsu WTKO 4 Kevin Phelan welterweight
Heavy handed Belgian import Bonsu had too much for Slough journeyman Kevin Phelan to absorb as the contest was stopped in the fourth round. With just one loss in twenty two bouts and twenty knockouts to his credit, Bonsu, originally from Ghana, will likely contend for the Commonwealth title in the near future.
Hussain Osman – Ryan Walls
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Hussain Osman WTKO 2 Ryan Walls super middleweight
Akaash Bhatia – Rakhim Mingaleev
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Akaash Bhatia WPTS 4 Rakhim Mingaleev featherweight
Clifford Smith – Frederic Gosset
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Clifford Smith WPTS 4 Frederic Gosset featherweight
Scott Woolford – Tommy Jones
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
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Scott Woolford WPTS 4 Tommy Jones welterweight
Nick McDonald – Nikita Lukin
Click for larger image © Bernard Miller / presquevu.com
Nikita Lukin WTKO 2 (cuts) Nick McDonald featherweight
Boxing Photos by www.presquevu.com