December To Remember
December 2018 has been a great month for boxing in Birmingham and the Black country. We have seen 3 BcB fighters claim Midlands area titles in this month with Kane Baker winning the Lightweight title, one of Bbcolumn’s boxers to watch James Beech Junior winning the super Featherweight title and Ijaz Ahmed claiming the Flyweight title. Baker won against the highly rated Ishmael Ellis on points at Villa park at the start of the month, Beech Jr had to moved up a weight to beat Louis Fielding in a great fight which ended in the 9th round with Beech stopping Fielding. Ahmed claimed the Flyweight title in a tough battle against Conar Blackshaw winning on points. With Eastside Boxers Ryan Kelly also claiming the Super welterweight Midlands area title early this year and Kaisee Benjamin winning the Welterweight area title it shows the quality of boxers in Birmingham and the Black country.
Speaking of Ryan Kelly he took a big following up to Bolton which was to start off with an a eliminator for a welterweight British title shot and then it was also for the WBO European title against Mason Cartwright. The European title and the eliminator where removed when Cartwright could not fight due to a failed medical, but Kelly went to Bolton with a big following and took on Nathan Hardy in a eight rounder stopping him in the seventh. It was a great performance by Kelly and even with the disappointment of not claiming the WBO European title or getting his shot at the British title he can look at the British rankings and be proud of being ranked 12th in Britain. The Birmingham Boxing Column is expecting big things from Kelly and his Eastside team next year.
It was great to see Sean Davis back in the ring last weekend beating tough journeyman Michael Mooney on points in a 4 round warm up fight as he sets his sights on some big titles for next year. Davis has been training hard waiting for the call to fight for a European title but the call never came, rumour has it that after coming through this warm up fight Davis may get another crack at the belt all British fighters want to win, the Lonsdale belt. Davis lost on points at the end of this 2017 to Thomas Patrick Ward who has now vacated the title and I can not think of anyone more worthy of contesting this belt than Davis. I have heard from a very good source that Davis may be fighting current Midlands Super Bantamweight champion Brad Foster for the Lonsdale belt.
Unbeaten Foster who has won 9 and drew 1 was very impressive when he won the area title at Walsall football stadium in July stopping Leon Glover in the eighth round. This will be a fantastic fight if the rumours are true with both fighters looking to get British glory and a place in the Birmingham Boxing Column’s Hall of Fame.
There is still one more Show left in December with the BCB holding Jingle Brawls on the 22nd at the Stadium Suite Banks stadium Walsall, with the current BBColumn's Boxer of the Year Lennox Clarke back in the ring with Adam Harper and Conner Parker and a cracking undercard. The Birmingham Boxing Column can not wait to see more Birmingham and the Black Country boxers progress next year.
Birmingham Boxing Column Awards will be announced near the end of the week with our Boxers to watch for 2018, Fight of the year and the one they all want to win BBColumn's Boxer of the year 2018 previously won by Craig Cunningham 2016 and Lennox Clarke 2017.
Who Will Be Boxer o the year 2018?