Belfast Fight Night!

Belfast’s King’s Hall was alive last night as Eamonn Magee came back from career ending injury to defend his WBU welterweight crown against a reluctant Allan Vester. With the full-throated backing of his fans, Northern Ireland’s finest fighter dominated Danish import Vester via a brutal three round rubout.

Initially, Magee experienced ring-rust as his powerful shots struck nothing but air with the experienced Vester using good footwork to keep out of harm’s way. Gradually, however, Magee’s aggression paid off as the distance between the two combatants narrowed measurably. In the final round, Magee struck pay-dirt, landing a hard left that had the tourist looking for a way out of the very small corner the Irishman had painted him into. Taking a knee, Vester sought refuge from the furious assault but found none as Magee would not be denied.

When Vester took a knee for the third time, referee Mickey Vann had seen enough, waving the action off despite the Dane beating the count. “I could tell by the look in his eyes that Vester wanted out of the fight,” Vann told me this morning in Belfast’s International Airport where he and fellow referee Dave Parris were waiting for a flight back to London. According to Frankwarren.tv’s Iain Axon, Magee is setting his sights on the WBU’s light welterweight belt, which the southpaw contends rival Ricky Hatton will have to vacate due to his IBF title fight against Kostya Tszyu in June.

In other action, former British welterweight champion Neil Sinclair’s career took a turn for the worst as he suffered a first round defeat at the hands of Welshman Taz Jones. During a torrid initial frame, Sinclair suffered a horrendous laceration above his hairline that simply poured blood. The ringside physician had no choice but the stop the fight and under British rules, Jones was declared the winner.

Dublin’s Jim “The Pink Panther” Rock picked up a difficult win over tricky Yorkshireman Michael Monaghan in a middleweight contest. Despite a blackened, swollen left eye, Rock managed to scrape by the unorthodox Monaghan, using superior fundamental skills to overcome the opponent’s higher work-rate and wide, winging shots.

Local heavyweight favorite Martin Rogan managed to extract himself from the clinch-happy Billy Bessey just enough to score a clear-cut points victory. Rogan, a former amateur standout, thrilled the crowd with his pressure style and workmanlike body attack on the inside.

A trio of talented fighters won their matches as they turned pro in the ring last night, with welterweight Paul McCloskey leading the way. Also, lightweight Andrew Murray won and welterweight Stephen Haughian proved victorious despite veteran James Gorman’s inspired attempt to spoil the local lad’s debut.

Full report to follow along with action packed photographs.

Richard Eberline can be reached at richardeberline@fastmail.fm