Black Country Boxing Promotions held there February show at the Eastside Rooms Birmingham (25.2.23). They had 5 contests on the cards with three fights over 6 three-minute rounds and two over 4, three-minute rounds. In the home corner in the six rounders’, you had Mykey Lee Broughton (5-0), Ryan Woolridge (4-0) and headlining the show Brandon Jones (6-0). Doing the four rounders’ in the home corner you had Jake Melvin (2-0) and Kutaiba Jimenez (1-0). Referees on the night you had Pete McCormick and Chris Dean.
The first fight of the night was a six round super-lightweight contest between unbeaten Mykey Lee Broughton who was taking on veteran Journeyman Liam Richards. Broughton weighed in 9 stone 13 with Richards coming in the same, reffing this fight you had Pete McCormick.
Lovely jabbing and shot selection from Broughton who picked his shots well in the first round as Richards could only cover up. Great shot picking again in the second by Broughton who got some eye-catching right hands off with a great selection of combinations. Broughton showcased a nice selection of combinations in the third with some eye-catching right hands, Richards was hanging in there but did not have an answer.
Great movement and shot picking in the fourth again by Broughton with some evil uppercuts to win the round. Some heavy shots landed in the fifth by Broughton with Richards just hanging in there using all his journeyman knowledge. Broughton let some heavy shots go in the final round looking for the stoppage, Richards used all his journeyman tricks and a lot of bottle to see the final bell.
Refferee Pete McCormick scored it 60 to 54 Broughton I had it the same.
Next up was a four-round contest with Kutaiba Jimenez taking on MJ Hall in a Middleweight fight. Jimenez weighed in 10 stone 11 and MJ Hall came in 11 stone with Chris Dean reffing.
Jimenez worked his way into the first round but stepped it up in the second part of the round with nice jabs and some cracking right hand uppercuts and hooks to win the round. Some lovely lead backhands in the second by Jimenez with both the fighters ended up on the floor while they where holding. Jimenez continued his good work, working the body and head well.
Jimenez continued his good work in the third round but was warned by the ref for hitting on the back of the head. Jimenez continued to get good shots off while Hall covered up and held frustrating Jimenez. The four and final round was a scrappy one with Hall using all his journeyman tactics, Jimenez was getting frustrated but when he stuck to his boxing he got some good shots off winning the round and the fight.
Ref Chris Dean scored it 40 to 36 Jimenez I had it the same.
Fight three was the talented unbeaten fighter Jake Melvin stood on the very tough veteran Berman Sanchez in a Middleweight contest. Melvin weighed in 10 stone 11 with Sanchez coming in 11 stone with Pete McCormick reffing.
Melvin got his jab going from the start of the first round and got some nice fast combinations off, Sanchez let his hands go but was catching air. Melvin put some cracking shots together in the second against a fighter you could see came to fight, Sanchez got some good shots off and dropped Melvin with a big left hook right at the end of the round. Melvin was counted as the bell went but seemed fine. In the third Melvin stuck to his boxing but Sanchez was looking for a big left hook, as the round went on Melvin stayed in control to win the round. Melvin used his jab well in the final round and kept Sanchez on the end of it, Sanchez was still looking for that big left hook but Melvin covered up well when he threw them and won the round.
Ref Pete McCormick scored it 38 to 37 Melvin, I had it the same.
The second six rounder of the night was a Middleweight contest between unbeaten Ryan Woolridge who was taking on Joe Hardy. Woolridge weighed in 11 stone 4 with Hardy coming in 11 stone 3 with Chris Dean reffing.
Woolridge kept Hardy on the end of his jab in the first round and let some nice one, twos off with one of them wobbling Hardy, Woolridge step up the pace but Hardy saw the round out. Simple but very effective boxing by Woolridge in the second using the one, two well and going body and head with his combinations. Woolridge put some nice combinations together in the third as Hardy had a bit of joy with shots of his own, Woolridge was in complete control and finished the round strong.
Woolridge worked the body and head well in the fourth with some nice combinations, Hardy was trying to fight back but was being met with some cracking one, twos. Hardy was trying to ask questions of Woolridge in the fifth but was just being met with nice one, twos and some heavy body shots, Woolridge round. Hardy went on the retreat in the final round as Woolridge continued to put nice combinations together hunting Hardy down who managed to see the final bell.
Ref Chris Dean scored it 60 to 54 Woolridge, I had it the same.
The main event of the night was a cruiserweight contest between Brandon Jones who was taking on Borislan Zankov in a six rounder. Jones weighed in 13 stone 1 with Zankov coming in 13 stone 12 with Pete McCormick reffing.
Big heavy body shots from Jones from the first bell as he picked his shots as he pinned Zankov in the corner for the whole of the round. The second was another beat down as Jones smashed heavy shots into Zankov’s body and head as he was pinned in the corner again. Another round and a different corner for Zankov to be pinned in as he took some more Heavy shots to the body and head in the third, he covered up well and saw the round out.
Zankov picked another corner to sit in, in the fourth as Jones unloaded heavy shots on him, Zankov let a few shots back in return and some how stood strong and saw the round out. Zankov took the centre of the ring in the fifth and let some big shots go, Jones returned fire with some heavy shots eventually putting Zankov down knocking his gum shield out. After having his gum shield put back in Jones jumped on him and let his hands go until ref Pete McCormick stepped in and stopped the fight.
Jones wins fifth round TKO.
Dexter’s Thoughts
This was the first time I had watched most of these home boxers fight live and I have got to say all of them impressed me. Mykey Lee Broughton put the veteran Journeyman Liam Richards though six rounds of hell as he landed heavy combinations and picked his shots well, Richards stood strong and saw the final bell to give Broughton six rounds in the bank.
Kutaiba Jimenez looked impressive against another Journeyman MJ Hall showing off his skills and getting a good four rounds under his belt.
Jake Melvin got a scare in his four round contest against the very tough and dangerous Sanchez, everything was going well until Sanchez let a cracking left hook go right at the end of the second to make the young talented fighter touch down. When Melvin came out for the third he was completely switched on and after his father Malcolm Melvin had give him instructions in the corner he boxed perfectly to win the next two rounds and the fight. To me this was a great learning curve for the young fighter which will hold him in good stead going forward in his career.
Just like all the fighters in the home corner on this show Woolridge showcased an a ray of shot picking and heavy combinations, Hardy earned his money tonight with a tough six rounds for him.
Every shot Brandon Jones threw in this fight had the power to be the one that stopped Zankov tonight but this fighter took everything Jones hit him with for four rounds before being stopped in the fifth. Jones looks like a very heavy handed fighter and could be one to watch.
Great show and the Column would like to thank BcB for having us there.