Walsall’s James Beech jr put on a battling performance against Matchrooms hot prospect Hopey Price at the Sheffield Arena as they contested for the WBA continental featherweight title. The contest was on the undercard of the Smith V Maxwell fight which was being shown live on DAZN and was being contested over ten rounds (1.7.23). Twenty-six-year-old Beech jr was coming off a stoppage defeat against Nathaniel Collins when he contested the British and Commonwealth featherweight titles in March of this year. Beech jr’s record is still impressive, winning fifteen contests out of nineteen with all his defeats coming in title fights. Twenty-three-year-old Price southpaw from Leeds has got a very impressive record winning all ten of his fights. Both fighters weighed in right stone thirteen with Oliver Palomo reffing.
Beech jr started strong and was very impressive in the first two rounds winning them. Price started to let nice combinations go in the third and fourth but Beech Jr stood strong and got some nice shots off of his own but they were Price's rounds. The fifth round was a cracker with Beech jr really letting his hand go and getting some good shots off, Price returned fire winning the round with the classier shots. Price stepped it up in the sixth and started to show why Matchroom is backing him with nice combinations opening up a cut above Beech’s left eye. The seventh was very similar to the sixth with Price controlling the round and Beech sustaining another cut from a clash of heads over the right eye.
Beech’s corner then pulled him out in his corner at the end of the seventh.
Dexter’s Thoughts
This was a great battling performance by Beech jr but was always going to a big ask against a Matchroom fighter who is being groomed for the big stage. Beech jr showed loads of heart but as a number of times before cuts played a part in the result of the fight. I have always been a James Beech jr fan and have championed him though his career. He is with out doubt British standard but he is having to roll the dice against fighters who are being groomed for bigger titles with the backing of big promotions. Beech can hold his own against these fighters but he just needed a bit of luck on his side and not sustain any cuts and I can definitely see him upsetting the applecart and beating these hot prospects. I look forward to seeing Beech jr fight again soon.