On Friday night at the Brentwood Centre in Essex, England, Frank Maloney presented a fight card highlighted by the most controversial decision to take place in a British ring in many years.
After outboxing challenger Tyson Fury over the course of the ten round title bout, English heavyweight champion John McDermott was inexplicably declared the loser, 98-92, by referee Terry O’Connor.
McDermott had been much more accurate, landed the more effective punches and controlled the pace of the contest in nearly every round. As such, O’Connor’s awarding of Fury the English title is now under review by the British Boxing Board of Control.
Pending the outcome of the Board’s ruling, McDermott, 25-6 (16), has now been involved in three controversial decisions in a row while Fury, 8-0 (7), had to go the distance in a bout for the first time in his career.
Sizzling flyweight sensation Ashley Sexton, 8-0 (4), headed up the undercard as the 21 year old blitzed Brazilian import Darli Goncalves Pires, 17-8-1 (8), in the very first frame of their scheduled ten round super bantam contest.
A pair of ex-British champions were featured in a pair of eight round bouts that went saw each on the canvas.
Light middle Gary Woolcombe, 28-2 (10), was downed in the first by two-time European title challenger Roman Dzuman, 23-8-1 (10), but clawed his way back to capture a hard fought 77-76 victory.
Bantamweight Martin Power, 20-5 (8), wasn’t so fortunate as the Londoner was gunned down by unheralded Stuart Hall, 6-0-1 (3), at 1:39 of the eighth.
Towering heavyweight prospect Tom Dallas, 7-0 (5), stayed perfect with a brutal first round leveling of opponent Mihaly Nemet, 12-16-1 (4), while welterweight Scott Woolford, 9-4 (2), reversed a three bout losing streak with a fifth round stoppage of big-hearted novice William Warburton, 1-4-1 (0).
Light welter hopeful Tyrone Nurse, 9-0 (9), continued his matriculation by posting a 40-36 points verdict over hyper-busy journeyman Daniel Thorpe, 23-85-3 (9), who was engaging in his 12th bout of this year, after four.
Heavyweight Larry “The War Machine” Olubamiwo, 5-1 (5), lived up to his nickname by finishing off opponent Norbert Sallai, 9-12 (2), in the first while welter Martin Welsh, 2-0 (0), dropped Vinny Woolford, 2-1 (1), in the first before winning a four rounder by a margin of 40-36.
The fight card was rounded off by two middleweights making their pro debuts.
Erick Ochieng, 1-0 (0), won every round against well-traveled Matt Scriven,13-55 (1), while Tony Hill, 1-0 (1), stopped Stuart Barr, 1-1 (0), in the first.
Frank Maloney’s FTM Sports return on Friday, October 16, 2009 when Jason Booth defends the British super bantamweight title against former European champion Michael Hunter at the Seaburn Centre in Sunderland, England.
Tickets are priced £90 and £35 and are available from The Box Office on 0871 226 1508 and www.frankmaloney.com
Sky Sports will televise live on SS1 and HD1 at 10.00PM.
John McDermott photo copyright Jane Warburton/MMG and is free for use only with credit given to same.