TOPromotions/Matchroom Savage Intentions Saturday 30th June 2018
Tommy Owens Promotions in association with Matchroom boxing held there Mega small hall show at Villa Park Holte Suite (30/6/18). The show had a nine bout fight card which included 4 four round matches, one six rounder and two eight rounder’s with one of these being for a British Challenge belt. On show Were some of the best talent the Midlands has to offer with the likes of Idris Virgo, Ishmael Ellis, Carl Dickens, Nathan Mcfarlane, Anthony Manning, Lee Gunter, Kane Baker and Indi Sangha just on the undercard. The main event was world ranked fighter Sam “The Savage” Eggington fighting for the IBO intercontinental Light Middleweight title in only his second fight at his new weight. With the Holte Suite packed out to capacity and the stunning Hay Whittacker and Lucille Ross doing the ring cards, the stage was set for a great night of boxing.
Fight 1 Idris Virgo v Scott Hillman Light Heavyweight 11.10 4x3 12.12.
Virgo who fights out of the D&A school of excellence under the tutelage of trainer Anthony Hull pressured Hillman from the first bell with heavy shots working from body to head well. Virgo continued his good work in the second picking his shots well and showed some great movement. Hillman came to life in the third and got some decent shots off but Virgo continued to get the cleaner and heavier shots off to win the round. The final round saw Virgo bang in some great combinations to win the round in a shut out victory.
Result
Dexter – 40-36 Ref – 40-36 Virgo wins Points.
Fight 2 Anthony Manning v Andrei Cepur 10.13. 4x3. 10.11 Super welterweight
Good start by Manning picking some nice shots and working well behind his jab. Round two saw Manning keep his jab working well which lead to some nice combinations, Cepur attempted to make a fight of it but Manning was in control. Manning's confidence grew though the third round as he moved around the ring picking his shots. In the final round Manning continued his good work and cruised to victory with great movement and shot selection.
Result
Dexter – 40-36 Ref – 40-36 Manning wins Points
Fight 3 Carl Dickens v Duane Green 11.2. 4x3. 11.3 Middleweight
A steady start by Dickens who worked behind a nice sharp jab and got off some sweat left hooks and straight rights. The second round saw Dickens continue to work behind his jab, but Green came back with some cracking shots that seemed to wobble Dickens. Dickens showed great heart battling back but Green edged this round. In the third Green seemed to grow in confidence and banged in some great shots opening cuts above both of Dickens eyes. Dickens continued to battle hard and came back with shots of his own but Green got this round. The final round Dickens showed great heart and determination, Dickens got some great shots off but so did Green.
Result
Dexter- 38-39 Ref -37-39 Brennan wins on Points
Fight 4 Ishmael Ellis v Lee Connelly 9.10. 6x3 9.10 Super Lightweight
Ellis worked hard in the first round and pinned Connelly to the ropes with nice combinations. In the second Ellis continued to press and got off some nice combinations working from head to body well. Ellis stepped up the pace in the third and got some thunderous combinations off. Connelly kept his guard up and fought back but Ellis had this round. Ellis kept up his high work rate in the forth to keep Connelly on the back foot and won the round. Ellis seemed tired in the fifth as Connelly started to get some shots off. Ellis continued to battle hard but I would have to give this round to Connelly. Connelly came out firing in the final round as he could sense Ellis was tiring, Ellis battled hard and moved well around the ring but Connelly won the final round.
Result
Dexter – 58-56 Ref – 58-57 Ellis wins on points.
Fight 5 Lee Gunter v Myles Vale 10.5. 4x3. 10.7 Super welterweight
Nice fast start by both fighters in the first, Gunter soon took control of the round with some heavy shots. Vale stood strong and saw the round out. Vale showed great heart and a battling spirit in the second as Gunter smashed in some heavy combinations to the head and body. Vale did have some good moments in the round but Gunter won this round.
Round three saw Vale come to life and started getting some nice combinations off of his own. Gunter was still banging in great shots but was now looking tired. The final round started scrappy with both fighters looking tired, Vale got some great shots off but was getting caught by some big left hooks by Gunter, great round with Vale just edging it.
Result
Dexter – 38-38 Ref – 38-39 Vale wins on points
Fight 6 Kane Baker v Jamie Sleight 9.12. 8x3. 9.9 British Challenge belt Super Lightweight
Baker took the centre of the ring from the first bell and controlled the round with a good work rate and ring control. The second round saw Baker control the round with some great combinations and a very fast work rate. Baker stepped up the pace in the third round and put Speight through the mill banging in some cracking shots. Baker looked to have Speight going near the end of the round but seemed to stop for a second which gave Speight chance to see out the round.
Round four and five where dominated by Baker with a high tempo, great combinations and shot selection, Speight just seemed to want and see the rounds out. Round six saw Baker bang in shots from all angels, Speight had no answer to Baker’s high tempo fighting. In the seventh Speight was on the back foot from the start as Baker pressed him getting his shots off well. Speight did get some nice shots off but nothing to trouble Baker. The final round saw Baker work well behind his jab and control the round with great shot selection and style
Result Dexter -80-72 Ref -80-72 Baker wins on Points
Fight 7 Nathan Mcfarlane v Ibrar Riyaz 4x3 Flyweight
Mcfarlane moved around the ring well and banged in some heavy shots especially to the body, Riyaz covered up and saw the round out. Mcfarlane showed off his skills with some eye catching combinations in the second round with some great movement, Riyaz did come back with shots of his own catching Mcfarlane with a big flurry of shots. Mcfarlane continued to move well in the third and got his shots off well, Ryiaz really tested Mcfarlane as he banged in some heavy shots. Mcfarlane stepped up the pace in the final round, Ryiaz matched him and made the young boxer work for his second win.
Result
Dexter 40-36 Ref – 39-38 Mcfarlane wins on Points
Fight 8 Indi Sangha v Michael Ramabeletsa 8x3 Flyweight
Sangha came out sharp and was looking nice and tidy working behind his southpaw jab. Ramabeletsa started steady but then shocked the whole of the Holte Suite by catching Sangha with a cracking left hook putting Indi down. Sangha got to his feet and weathered the storm to see out the round. Sangha had seemed to recovered from the knock down in the first round and came out nice and sharp for the second. Ramabeletsa continued to box Well and was still catching Sangha with some heavy shots. In the third Sangha came out sharp again and was looking like he was going to take control. Ramabeletsa known as “The Trouble maker” was still looking menacing and shot out a thunderous straight right that caught Sangha clean on the button putting him down. Sangha stayed down looking very dazed as the ref counted him out.
Result
Ramabeletsa wins third round Knockout
Fight 9 Sam Eggington v Peter Kramer 10.12. 10x3. 10.13 IBO intercontinental Title Light Middleweight
Eggington controlled the first round from start to finish with cracking body shots and great combinations. The second was another round for the “Savage” running riot on Kramer with hurtful body shots and combinations to body and head. Kramer showed loads of heart in the third but Eggington was relentless working the body and head with world class combinations. Eggington continued the onslaught smashing shots into the head and body of Kramer. The end came with Eggington banging in left and right hooks to Kramer’s head rocking him and then continued to throw punches until the ref jumped in to stop the fight 2 minutes and 3 seconds into the forth.
Result
Eggington wins forth round stoppage Eggington IBO intercontinental Light Middleweight Champion.
Dexter’s Thoughts
First things first Congratulations to Tommy Owens Promotions for putting on such a great show, great fights from start to finish. Top of the Bill was Sam Eggington giving a world class performance to claim his first title at light Middleweight. He looks very strong at the new weight and I am sure this is the first title of many for Team Savage. Eggington will be fighting for a Major title on the Matchroom show on the 8th September at the Birmingham Arena. This is set to be another great show and will be Sam’s last fight in Brum for a while as he sets his eyes on fighting in America.
I was gutted for Indi Sangha who lost in a shock defeat on the show to a very tough opponent in Ramabeletsa. I have watched Sangha in his last few fights and have been very impressed, he looked sharp in the fight but fell pray to the southpaw curse of first the left hook and then a evil straight right which all orthodox fighter are told to throw against southpaws. Sangha has got a great team behind him with Spencer Macracken, Jon Pegg and the Eastside lads. I’m sure Indi will be back and God help his next opponent.
Kane Baker put on a great performance tonight winning a challenge belt in a 8 round fight. Kane's work rate was impressive to say the leased and his shot selection was on point winning every round. Baker is now on a good run with a secession of victory’s and I’m sure will be looking for more titles in the near future.
Ishmael Ellis had a good six round fight where he was tested and came through with flying colours. He seemed to tired in the last two rounds but that was down to how much he put into the first four. Ellis should now be looking a fighting for a Midlands area title as I think he has reached that level.
Nathan Mcfarlane had a tough second fight, I may of gave him every round but Riyaz gave him a first class lesson in the noble art pushing him all the way. This fight will be a great learning curve for Mcfarlane and will keep him in good stead in fights in the future.
One of the fights of the nights was Lee Gunter v Myles Vale, I had this fight a draw with Gunter taking the first two rounds and Vale winning the final two but it was one of them fights that could have gone either way. This was Vales first victory in his eighth fight as a pro and I can say his record does not fit his boxing ability as he is a very capable fighter who has the tools to do well in the sport. Gunter can feel hard done by with this defeat but as a lot of people ringside had it a draw. Gunter is another very talented fighter and if he learns from this fight about pacing himself it will hold him in good stead in the future.
Anthony Manning put on a very good performance tonight getting a shut out victory against a very durable opponent. Anthony’s career so far has been a rollercoaster as with one win, one draw and one defeat to his name before this fight. I had talked to Anthony before the fight telling him I expected a good performance and he did not let me down. I have watch all of Manning fights and now he is back to winning ways I look forward to him starting to move up the ranks.
Idris Virgo also put on a great display of boxing his fight was at light heavyweight but that was down to his opponent who was around a stone heavier than the D&A fighter. The weight difference didn’t matter as Virgo cruised to a very convincing victory winning every round and banging in some very hurtful shots. This was a great performance by the young boxer in his 2nd professional fight.
Right last but by no means least, “The Wollop” Carl Dickens announced he was retiring after losing his fight. Carl told me after his fight “I did everything I could in training to be ready for this fight. I had got down to 11 stone 2 but tonight in the ring I looked and felt 34 and if I can’t beat fighters like that I think it’s time to call it a day”.Dickens received a massive round of applause as he announced his retirement in the ring with his son who was more gutted about him retiring than losing the fight. I have interviewed and seen Carl box on a number of occasions and every time we have talked it has been a easy interview. When he is in the ring he is a true warrior, but I have to say I have been at his last two fights where he has just come up short against fighter he should be beating and I think he is making the right decision in retiring. Dickens who’s wife is 8 months pregnant has said he will be now be looking to help train the up and coming boxers so will still be in the game. Carl can walk away from competitive boxing with his head held high as he has never been stopped as a amateur or a pro, Carl is a credit to the sport and I look forward to seeing what he does on the coaching side of boxing. The Birmingham Boxing Column wishes Carl all the best in his retirement and what ever he does in coaching.
The Birmingham Boxing Column would just like to thank Tommy Owens Promotions for a great night of boxing and look forward to there next show on the 1st September.