As the Column heads into its fifth year of being online we look back as some of the great fights the Column has witnessed. We have compiled our top fifteen fights from the last 4 years from shows in Birmingham and the Black Country. The fights listed are from TOP boxing, BcB Promotions and when Matchroom Promotions came to town. I’m sure people will have different views on there top fights but this is how we have saw them.
15. Conah Walker v Nathan Bendon (11.5.19) BcB Walsall town hall. A great 6 round fight with just pride on the line, two unbeaten fighters putting there 0’s on the line, a battling performance by both fighters with Walker coming out the winner on points 58-56. This was a great fight which has lead to both fighters being scheduled to fight each other for the Welterweight Midlands area title. I could not find any footage of this fight on Youtube
14. Ben Fields v Sean Daly (29.6.19) TOP Boxing Holte suite Villa park. Another great 6 rounder with unbeaten Sean Daly looking to test himself against the ‘0 Taker' Ben Fields. This was a great fight with Daly being drawn into an all out war, if it had of been for a title it would have been higher in the rankings. Fields won this cracking fight 59-57.
13. James Beech jr v Luke Jones (7.12.19) Midlands Featherweight title, BcB, Bank’s stadium Walsall. Great 10 round title fight with Beech looking for his second area title. Jones pushed Beech all the way with an aggressive approach with Beech battling back and just edging the fight 96-95.
12. Rachel Ball v Eftychia Kathopouli (20.7.18) BcB Bank’s stadium Walsall. What a fight! Great 6 rounder with Ball having to bring her ‘A' game to get the victory. Ball was dropped in the second round in this bloody affair, Ball rose to her feet and battled back hard dropping Kathopouli in the forth. The fight went the full 6 rounds with Ball winning this bloody battle 57-55.
11. Leon Gower v Brad Foster (20.8.18) Midlands Super Bantamweight title, BcB Bank’s stadium Walsall. This was the start of Fosters title journey with him dropping Gower in the first round with Gower battling hard for the next 7 rounds until Foster stopped him in round 8. Foster has now to go on to win the British and Commonwealth titles.
10. Ishmael Ellis v Kane Baker (1.12,18) Midlands Lightweight title, TOP boxing Holte suite, Villa Park. Two Birmingham fighters went at it in front of a packed out Holte suite in a cracking title fight. Very hard fought contest that went back and forth with Baker winning the fight on points 96-95.
I could not find the fight on Youtube so here is the bbcolumn interview with Kane after.
9. Luke Paddock v Myron Mills (14.10.17) IBF Youth Lightweight title, BcB Walsall town hall Walsall. Mills lived up to his nick name ‘Skills' as he gave skilled performance in this title fight. Paddock battled hard an kept the pressure on until the final bell where the judges were split with two giving it to Mills 97-93 and 96-94 and one giving it Paddock 96-94. I Could not find the footage of the fight on youtube
8. Ryan Kelly v Owen Jobburn (19.5.18) Midlands Welterweight title, TOP boxing Holte Suite Villa park. Kelly was in ‘ruthless’ form at the Holte suite as he showed his skill against Jobburn. Kelly had him down in the 3rd with referee Shaun Messer stopping the fight in the seventh. Kelly has went onto compete for the WBC International silver Welterweight title and the WBO European title.
7. Tom Stokes v Tyler Denny (30.9.17) Midlands Middleweight title BcB Walsall town, Hall Walsall. Denny was the away fighter as he took on the then unbeaten Tom Stokes, Denny's southpaw stance seemed to give him the edge over Stokes as he boxed well to edge a points victory over Stokes 96-94. Denny has went on the contest for the English title.
I could not find the fight on YouTube by here is Tyler on the Bbcolumn flagship show 'Welcome to Fightden'
6. James Beech jr v Louis Fielding (8.12.18) Midlands Super Featherweight title BcB Walsall town Hall, Walsall. Beech moved up two weights to take on Fielding for this vacant title, it was a great back and forth contest with Beech sustaining a bad cut above his left eye in the forth round. Beech who was no stranger to cuts continued to battle hard and after the ref had got the doctor to assess the cut as it seemed bad went and stopped Fielding in the 9th round.
5. Kyle Williams v Thomas Essomba (9.6.18) English Bantamweight title, BcB, Willows Banqueting suite, Willenhall. Fantastic fight with Williams being put down in the first round but getting up and using his ring craft to get back into the fight. Williams then managed to put the very tough Essomba down in the seventh who got up to battle on. Williams then sustained a cut on his forehead in the final round due to a clash of heads. A great battling performance by both fighters with William’s winning the English title on a split decision with two judges giving it Williams 96-93, 96-93 and one giving it Essomba 96-94. Williams has went on to contest for the British and WBO European Bantamweight titles, Essomba has now joined BcB Promotions.
4. Frank Gavin v Sam Eggington (22.10.16) Matchroom Barclays arena Birmingham WBC International Welterweight title. An epic encounter between to of the greats of British boxing fighting in a main event in there home town of Birmingham live on Sky sports. Eggington who was just 23 at the time asked questions of the veteran Gavin (31) from the first bell. Gavin was down in the third round and given a standing eight count in the sixth. Gavin fought back well and used all his skill to avoid Eggington’s pressure fighting. The fight ended with Gavin being dropped again in the eighth round with Eggington winning via TKO.
3. Jason Welborn v Tommy Langford 2. (8.9.18) Matchroom Arena Birmingham. British Middleweight title. This was the second encounter between these two fighters this year and it lived up to the hype of there first war. Welborn had Langford down early twice in the fight with two crashing right hands. Having been down twice Langford showed the heart and determination to weather the storm and come back strong in the later rounds to take the fight to another split decision. Two judges had the fight 114-113 and 115-114 to Welborn with one judge having it 114-113 to Langford. Welboun has gone on to fight for a world title and Langford has contested the Commonwealth title.
2. Craig Cunningham v Anthony Ogogo. (22.10.16) Barclaycard arena Birmingham, Matchroom WBC international Middleweight title. The 40 to 1 outsider Craig Cunningham was meant to be the lamb to the slaughter as he took on the Olympic medallist Anthony Ogogo on the undercard of Gavin v Eggington, but no one had given Cunningham the script. The tricky southpaw had Ogogo down in the second and had him on the back foot for most of the fight. Ogogo was pulled out by his corner as he had blurred vision with Cunningham winning his third title in a year and caused one of the major upsets of the year. Cunningham was one of the most avoided fighters after this and never really got to show his full potential before retiring in early 2018.
1. Tommy Langford v Jason Welborn (4.5.18) British Middleweight title, BcB Walsall town Hall Walsall. One of the best fights I have ever had the honour to witness live. Langford was coming in as the Champ and unbeaten but Welborn was in no mood to play second fiddle. Welborn came out throwing bombs from the first bell with Langford being given a standing count in the second as the ropes kept him up. Langford was cut above the left eye in the 3th but came back strong in the second part of the fight to show why he was the British champ. When the final bell went in a packed out Walsall town hall it was hard to say who had won. Two of the judges scored it 114-113 and 114-113 to Welborn and one judge had it 115-113 to Langford with Welborn being crowned champion on a split decision.
I hope you enjoy our run down of our top fights in Birmingham and the black Country between 2016 -2019 and it brings back some good memories of some great fights.
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