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© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
Friday night at the Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre in Nottingham, England, Frank Maloney hosted the second of three title fights. This was the scheduled English Lightweight title fight between John ‘Fireball’ Fewkes and Martin Gethin.
Fewkes had a nightmare Thursday when weighing in ahead of the clash. Failing to meet the weight limit – he cannot win the title if he defeats Gethin. Surprisingly, Fewkes’ trainer Glyn Rhodes was not in the corner during the fight.
Both men are undefeated but Walsall boxer Martin Gethin is hoping to win over Fewkes and take the belt back to the West Midlands. “Fewkey, Fewkey” the crowd chants as they come out for round one.
It was a steady opening round, Fewkes going for body shots with Gethin whipping out the left punch.Round two and Gethin continues to walk forward, forcing Fewkes to step back.
There is blood on Fewkes’s nose mid-way through round three. Both men keep up a steady pace with Gethin now working at Fewkes’s body. In the closing seconds of the frame,
Gethin lands right hooks in to the body of Fewkes then left hooks to his face and Fewkes’s energy seems to have sapped quickly. During the break, Fewkes’s corner asks him if he wants the fight and try to motivate their charge – who looks tired and dejected.
Inside the first minute of round four, Gethin lands a left hook to the face of Fewkes and increases the pressure as Fewkes tries to defend from his position against the ropes. Fewkes works his way out and skips around the ring to put some distance between himself and a ‘stalking’ Gethin.
A peach of a left hook from Gethin shakes Fewkes and he covers up to protect himself from Gethin’s increased punches to head and body. A straight left lands on target and Fewkes is in trouble on the ropes. Gethin lands a left and right to the body and Fewkes’s corner man is standing holding the towel ready as referee John Kane jumps in to stop the contest.
A jubilant Martin Gethin celebrates with trainers Bob Plant and Errol Johnson.
Gethin becomes the new English Lightweight Champion and improves to 15-0-1 (7).
