British RBR Action - Four big title fights!

[superheavyrhun]

First up on tonight's bill from the old Millenium Dome in Greenwich is the Cook v Luevano fight for the WBO featherweight strap, and here's how I'd call both fighters at the moment.

Nicky Cook (27-0, 15KOs) will finally get the chance that he has been looking for tonight, for the belt formerly belonging to Scott Harrison that he was due to challenge for back in December. Cookie will be looking to bring his usual game to bear tonight, trying to pressure his man, and ping in those body shots that will wear down fighters, looking to get inside the slick boxing style of Luevano and work on the inside as much as possible. Cook has moved up through the ranks of belts, with wins over Cyril Thomas to claim the European belt and the second round KO of Dazzo Williams the highlights of his career.

Steven Luevano (32-1, 14KOs) is remarkably untested for his record, with only three twelve-rounders under his belt, and some regional titles the only gold on his record. However, he is a very slick boxer, as well as packing enough punch to put fighters down for a count in his last three fights, despite the points finish in each one. He'll probably be looking to keep Cook at arms' length all night, and box him into the canvas. The solitary blip on the Luevano record came in Novermber of 2005 against journeyman Martin Honorio, who came off the canvas in the second round to win on points. This title tilt has been a long time in the making for both fighters, and desire will be huge in both of them.

[superheavyrhun]

Next up is the battle for the Commonwealth Lightweight title with the golden boy of ITV boxing Amir Khan challenging Willie Limond for that strap.

CHampion Willie Limond (28-1, 8KOs) has been largely dismissed by many people because of his lack of power, and tagged another step on the Amir Khan ladder. Limond is a sound all-round boxer, and will be looking to rack up the points as he did in his comprehensive 12-round points win to claim the Commonwealth belt over decent Kpakpo Allotey. His sole defeat came in an 8th round KO against Alex Arthur, who is now looking to establish himself on the world scene. Whilst nobody expects Limond to knock out Khan, he will work hard to try and win every round, and Khan will need to match his workrate from previous bouts to keep up with Limond over the 12.

Amir Khan (12-0, 9KOs) Khan has become the darling of the mainstream casual boxing fans as he looks continually impressive in each performance, with the highlight so far being in his 10-round points win over Rachid Drilzane, in which he was unlucky to receive an eight count. Over recent fights Khan has been looking to sit down on his punches and put more power into them, as well as keeping up his fierce pace. His three round demolition of Steffy Bull last time out was little more than a keep busy fight, but tonight everyone will expect a comprehensive victory from Khan.

[superheavyrhun]

And Finally, the big guys get in between the ropes as Matt Skelton defends his Commonwealth title against Michael Sprott, for an "alleged" world title shot to the winner.

Matt Skelton (20-1, 18KOs) steps back into the ring for the first time since he danced past Danny Williams to reclaim the Commonwealth title in early July last year. Williams also gave him his first defeat in a war in February of 2005. Skelton's age is a bit of a mystery, lying somewhere between 38 and 41 according to various sources, so either way it would seem that he is in the last chance saloon if he wants to challenge for highter honours. Skelton is a very big man, and will stand three inches higher than Sprott, although only four pounds heavier. I expect Skelton to revert to his brawler style to try and demolish Sprott, and ploughing forward with big hits and little boxing finesse.

Michael Sprott (30-10, 15KOs) is coming off some very significant victories over Audley Harrison via emphatic KO, and German rising star Rene Dettweiler by SD in Germany, and will be hoping to overturn his previous KO to Skelton back in April 2004. Sprott has been the third man of British heavyweights behind Williams and skelton for a while, and will no doubt look to claim the top spot and the promised world challenge. Sprott has mixed in a very high caliber of opponents for a number of years, and will hope that he can use that experience to try and keep Skelton from swamping him, and work with accurate shots off the back foot.

[smashup]

Great work Super mate cc for this
C'mon Cookie give us another World title fella..East,East EAST LONDON!!!!
The left hook to the body is his money punch so i expect him to fire that off early and he needs to get his jab going early too as it's a great weapon but he sometimes gets dragged into the tear up and seems to forget about it (usually because his crazy fans demand a blood n guts encounter)
Tough fight but he can win this imo by a late stoppage

[Fenster]

Round 8:

Body shots from Tontchev as they begin. Fewkes still working those hooks to the body, but Tontchev replies in kind. Uppercut from Fewkes, and tontchev with another. Three body shots from Fewkes and more hooks , and tontchev gets on his bike. The ref again having a word with Fewkes. He looks to plant his feet and land hard shots. Overhand right from Fewkes, and Tontchev covering up, and backing off, though another overhand right stops him for a second. Two right hooks upstairs from Fewkes. Fewkes warned for using the head. The ref has hard work with Fewkes tonight.

135-44 landed punches, and the ref gives it to Fewkes. He looked very good in the first four rounds, but the imagination and angles of his shots faded on the stretch.

Ref scores it 78-74 over the eight rounds.

Unfortunately Fewkes lack of punching power is gonna be the stopper for him. He's never going to get an easy night.

[superheavyrhun]

Round 8:

Body shots from Tontchev as they begin. Fewkes still working those hooks to the body, but Tontchev replies in kind. Uppercut from Fewkes, and tontchev with another. Three body shots from Fewkes and more hooks , and tontchev gets on his bike. The ref again having a word with Fewkes. He looks to plant his feet and land hard shots. Overhand right from Fewkes, and Tontchev covering up, and backing off, though another overhand right stops him for a second. Two right hooks upstairs from Fewkes. Fewkes warned for using the head. The ref has hard work with Fewkes tonight.

135-44 landed punches, and the ref gives it to Fewkes. He looked very good in the first four rounds, but the imagination and angles of his shots faded on the stretch.

Ref scores it 78-74 over the eight rounds.

Unfortunately Fewkes lack of punching power is gonna be the stopper for him. He's never going to get an easy night.

But you got to hand it to the guy, he went out there and grinded out the result over the first six rounds, and all he had to do from there was not get knocked down or knocked out. The punching power will be an issue as he goes up the levels, because if he can't trouble the opposition, he wont get much of a break throughout.

[superheavyrhun]

OK, so the first fight of the evening is about to begin, and despite starting at 8pm, this Nicky Cook v Steven Luevano fight is the official headliner on the bill. Luevano begins his ringwalk in a rather garish emerald robe. Apparently there is traffic chaos at the dome tonight, and lots of Cookie's fans are still outside. Luevano looks calm, concentrated and ready to rumble.

[superheavyrhun]

Cook looking confident, and gets a rapturous welcome despite many fans still not getting into the arena, he's got an Union Jack flag instead of a robe, and simple black shorts. Here we go on a massive night of boxing, next up is the RBR!

[superheavyrhun]

Round 1:

Ring a ding ding. Cautious opening for both fighters, and a straight right from Luevano lands. Cook falls short, and gets a right for his trouble. Jab and a straight from Luevano. Cook tries to close the distance and Luevano clinches. Big swing with the left from Cook, but misses. Body shots from Luevano as Cook edges forward. Couynter from Cook misses, and Luevano cuffs him with a right hook.

Quiet opening, Luevano's round.
10-9

[superheavyrhun]

Round 2:

They trade jabs, and Luevano lands a good straight left. Another one blocked by Cook. Cook looks to close in and puts a right to the body, but Luevano clenches. Luevano with a good straight shot again. Straight left, and Cook is put down. 8-count. Luevano is landing at will for a few seconds, but Cook covers up and gets through it. Cook goes through a left to throw a left hook of his own. Luevano's straight left is cracking, and another gets through. Cook lands a straight right, and Luevano with another straight left. Left hook to the body from Cook.

Luevano
20-17

[superheavyrhun]

Round 3:

Cook trying to get on the inside and load those body shots in, but they trade on the inside too. Cook jabs, then ducks under a big left again. Good left from Luevano gets through. Left to the body, then one upstairs from Cook. He's not getting into his usual pressure fighting so far. Luevano comes forward, and a good right from Cook pushes Luevano back. Luuevano falls short, and Cook comes forward with a jab and a right to the body. Right to Luevano's body again. Nice left hook in the clinch from Cook.

Cook takes a first step in the fight getting that round, though fairly close.
29-27 to Luevano

[superheavyrhun]

Round 4:

They wrestle a it straight off the bell. Luevano with a left, and a right to the body from Cook might hav strayed a little low. It's still very very cagey as they try and find the range. Cook lands a jab. Luevano returns one and two jabs. Good jab and straight right from Cook. Jab and left from Luevano, and another left. Big shots from Luevano, with a hook, and a huge left uppercut has Cook in trouble, and a jab. Cook bobs and weaves, and survives.

Luevano's round.
39-36

[superheavyrhun]

Round 5:

Cook's right falls short. Luevano uses the simple jab and left, which again gets through. Right hook from Luevano as he avoids Cook. Good jab and Cook misses with a counter right. Cook just abut lands a straight right. Cook is failing to get on top of his opponent which he is usually so effective at, especially with the body shot. Luevano's dominating with the jabs, and lands a very good left. Luevano gets caught with a left finally, but clinches. Cook warned for hitting after the ref shouted break.

Luevano again.

49-45

[superheavyrhun]

Round 6:

Cook comes forward walking through a jab and lands three good body shots. It's tied up, and Luevano jabs. Short left lands as Luevano gets in. Body shot from Cook. Luevano pounces with two body shots, a hook upstairs then a great left to the body. Right to the body from Cook, but Luevano throws two jabs back his way. Cook with two big rights to the body, and narrowly misses with an uppercut. Big hooks from Cook, and as he goes to the body, Luevano gets him with a good right. Looked like the shoulder might have gone in a bit too.

Cook's round.

58-55 for Luevano

[superheavyrhun]

Round 7:

At the halfway stage Cook is plenty behind. Luevano catches Cook trying to pressure. Good body shot, then a jab from Cook. Nice right hook from Cook. Luevano with two jabs, then Cook with a straight right. Jab and another right from Cook. Luevano with a one-two right back at him. Luevano comes in and lands two short hooks. Uppercut from Luevano, then some short hooks. Huge left hook to the body, and Luevano nearly doubled up, then they wrestle. Another left on the bell.

Cook again.
67-65

ITV have it 68-64 thought...take your pick.