Fight view
Jason Welborn v Craig Cunningham
Midlands Area a super welterweight title
16th July 2016 at the Futsal football arena Hockley/Newtown was the place to be to see an epic title match between the champ Jason Welborn and Craig Cunningham for the Midlands super welterweight title.
I was not at the show but have watched the fight and have given my opinion on this great fight.
This is how I saw the fight.
Round 1 – The first minute of the round the boxers seemed to feel each other out, Jason seemed to control the centre of the ring, but Craig moved around well and boxed clever.
10 – 10
Round 2 – Both boxers boxed well in this round Jason had Craig on the ropes a few times in this round, but Craig countered well and slipped out of the way and seemed to control this round.
Close round but Craig nicked it.
9 – 10
Round 3 – Craig movement in this round was really good he kept it at range and when
Jason did press him to the ropes he seemed to slip out of trouble with ease.
9 – 10
Round 4 – Jason pressured Craig from the started off this round and was relentless. Craig slipped and moved off the ropes but Jason kept pushing Craig around the ring with some ferrous body shots.
10 – 9
Round 5 – Even round both boxers had there movement in this round, Craig used movement and showed good ring craft. Jason pressured and got Craig to the ropes to unleash his body shots.
10 – 10
Round 6 – Another close round Craig moved well around the ring and used his jab well,
Jason got some good body shots in but Craig just nicked this round on ring craft.
9 – 10
Round 7 – Craig completely out boxed Jason in this round, his movement was Impressive as he slipped off the ropes and away from danger when Jason came in for an attack.
9 – 10
Round 8 – Craig took control of this round from the start and caught Jason with some
good shot, notably 2 cracking left hands. Jason continued to pressure and come forward but Craig won this round.
9 – 10
Round 9 – Cracking round of boxing Craig continued to box well with his movement turning Jason onto the ropes a few times, but Jason went for it and really pushed Craig with his pressure boxing and landed some good shots.
10 – 10
Round 10 – Jason really put it on Craig in the final round and pressured him and caught him with some cracking shots. Craig stayed composed and kept moving and used his jab well.
10 – 9
My verdict – 98 – 95 Cunningham
Refs verdict – 97 – 94 Cunningham
I talked to Craig’s trainers Jon Pegg and Paul Counihan about how they thought the fight went.
Jon said “it was a really tough local derby that had boxer v brawler and lived up to the hype and has got everyone still talking two days afterwards”
Paul told me “Craig was boxing lovely on the back foot picking Jason off with jab & back hands, Jason was having success when Craig was on the ropes it was a fight of to half’s, going into the last round we thought Craig was behind and needed a big round,which he won the ref gave 6 rounds to Craig 3 to Jason & 1 even round, it's a massive win for Craig just weeks after his brilliant win against Ryan Aston, after watching back on Video Craig won it quite well, looking for something big for Craig now like a shot at the English or British”
I also talked to someone who was ringside for the fight and how they saw it, Tom Hench is a former CBU supreme unlicensed champion he informed me “I’ve seen stronger Jason take first 2 rounds and then shook up Craig and he started to boxing from the outside and managed to snap Jason head back with the jab catching him on the way in. By the time Jason closed the distance he already took too many shots and was trying to steal rounds coming on strong second half of the rounds was not enough. In my view Craig seemed to be a couple clean shots away from falling as Jason was the stronger man in the ring. I scored the rounds first 2 rounds to Jason then 5 rounds to Craig then 8th Jason then 9th Craig and last round was draw”
I talked to the new champ Craig as well about how he felt about being a Midlands area 2
weight champion he told me “ I'm obviously buzzing, cloud 9.
I thought it was the right decision as I stated in the interview straight after the fight... I think I won everything at range did everything my team at Eastside told me to then Jason would try and look busy at the end of the round or just do little flurry here and there. It was very tough as I expected but I believe the right man won on the night now I want to move on to bigger and better things hopefully the British”
Dexter’s Thoughts
What a cracking fight 2 different styles went head too head the boxer v the brawler and this time the boxer came out on top.
Craig boxed extremely well his movement was great and he countered well on the back foot. Jason also boxed well and pressured Crag all the way and when he opened up on Craig it was explosive. It was a great fight and both boxers should be proud of themselves.