Black Country Promotions held their April show at the Hangar Event Centre Wolverhampton (28.4.23). The show consisted of seven contests with five of them being over four three-minute rounds and two over six-rounds. In the four-round fights in the home corner, you had unbeaten Ollie Cooper, Hamza Azeem, Ash Perrigrew, Gully Powar, and making his debut Jay Jay Tonks. In the six rounders, we also had two unbeaten fighters in the home corner with 5 and 0 Ryan Woolridge taking on Nikola Stoyanov and headlining in the main event you had 6 and 0 Jermaine Osbourne-Edwards. Referees on the night are Mark Churchill and Kevin Parker with Emily as the ring girl.
Kicking off the show was the unbeaten prospect Ollie Cooper, the Cannock born Southpaw has won all four of his contests with this fight being in the Cruiserweight division. Cooper was taking on Genadjij Krajevskij in a four-round contest with Cooper weighing in 12 stone 3 and Krajevskij coming in 12 stone 12 with Mark Churchill reffing.
Cooper started strong and dominated the first round picking nice shots and putting good combinations together. Cooper continued to dominate the second with a sharp southpaw jab and eye-catching combinations in a nice relaxed style. There was a bit of spite in Cooper's shots in the third as he unleashed some evil lead hand hooks that echoed around the event. Cooper continued to dominate the final round with stylish combinations, Krajevskij had to use all of his 51-fight experience to see the final bell.
Judge Kevin Parker scored it 40-36 I had it the same.
Second, on the card you had Selly Oaks super Middleweight southpaw Hamza Azeem, the 23-year-old fight was having the second contest of his career and was taking on MJ Hall in a four-round contest. The Narna’s gym fighter weighed in at 11 stone 13 with Hall coming in at 11 stone 10 with Mark Churchill reffing.
Azeem controlled the first round with his southpaw jab fighting on the back foot with Hall not getting anything of note off. Azeem again used his jab well catching Hall at will, Hall did have a go back but Azeem sloped a lot of them and unloaded some big combinations on the 102-fight veteran. Scrappy third round with a lot of holding by both fighters, Azeem won the round with dome explosive combinations when they weren’t in the clinch. Azeem unleashed a flurry of combinations on Hall as he emptied the tank in the final round, Hall used his journeyman knowledge to see the round out.
Judge Kevin Parker scored it 40-36, I had it the same.
Third up we had Ash Pettigrew taking on Nahem Ali in a Middleweight contest over four rounds. Twenty-four-year-old Pettigrew from Stafford has won both of his two pro contests so far and weighed in 11 stone 2 with Ali coming in 10 stone 9 with Mark Churchill reffing.
Pettigrew got his jab going from the first bell and kept the centre of the ring pushing Ali back with nice combinations. Nice combinations by Pettigrew in the second as Ali went on the run to stay out of trouble, Pettigrew caught Ali with a nice right hook to the body putting him down, Ali took an 8 count and saw out the round. Pettigrew continued to go to the body with some nice combinations, Ali was now in survival mode and was using every trick in the journeyman handbook to see the round out. Pettigrew continued to dominate the final round as Ali covered up and tried to stay out of trouble sting the final bell.
Judge Kevin Parker scored it 40-35 I had it the same.
Unbeaten Gully Powar was next on the card and was taking on a very tough Mexican in Hector Lozano in the super Featherweight division. Twenty year old Powar is unbeaten in three contests weighed in 9 stone 3 with Lozano coming in 9 stone 2 with Mark Churchill reffing.
Powar unloaded on the very game Mexican from the first bell who was having a go back and asking questions of the Wolverhampton fighter. Powar had the answers and overwhelmed Lozano to win the round. In the second Lozano went toe to toe with Powar who aligned him with the Mexican taking a lot of shots for his troubles as Powar continued to unload. Lozano showed the heart of the likes of Gatti and Canelo as the Mexican continued to stand and fight taking everything Powar hit him with, great contest Powar with Powar winning the round. Powar showcased his Arsenal of combinations as Lozano pressed and asked questions with Powar having all the answers winning the round and the contest in an excellent shut-out victory.
Judge Kevin Parker scored it 40-36 Powar I had it the same.
We then had the first six-rounder of the night with unbeaten southpaw Ryan Woolridge taking on Nikola Stoyanov in a Middleweight contest. Woolridge came in winning all five of his fights and weighed in 11 stone 2 with Stoyanov coming in 11 stone 1 with Kevin Parker refereeing.
Woolridge started the first round strong banging in some nice combinations, Stoyanov came back strong in the second part of the round getting some nice combinations off of his own causing a slit nick above Woolridge’s right eye, even round. Stoyanov started the second round well and had his moments but Woolridge outworked him and got the better shot off winning the round. Woolridge worked well behind his jab in the third but Stoyanov still fancied this getting some nice combinations off, Woolridge again outworked him and got the better shots off to win the round.
Woolridge picked his shots well in the fourth as Stoyano started to tier, Woolridge caught Stoyanov with some big shots winning the round. Stoyanov was still going at it in the fifth and got some nice shots off asking questions of the unbeaten Woolridge, a close round could not split them. Stoyanov came out very determined in the final round and continued to ask questions of Woolridge, Woolridge moved well and answered Stoyanov but would have to give this round to the away fighter.
Ref Kevin Parker scored it 59 to 56 to Woolridge I had 59 to 57 Woolridge.
Making his debut in the sixth contest we had Hay Jay Tonks who was taking on Edgar’s Sneide in a for round cruiserweight contest. Tonks from Walsall weighed in 13 stone 1 with Sneide coming in 13 stone 3 with Mark Churchill reffing.
Tonks was on the front foot for the whole of his first-round debut and hunted Sneide down who was moving well. Tonks continued to press forward in the second but Sneide was happy to pop the jab out on the back foot, Tonks won the round on pressure and work rate. Sneide continued to work well on the back foot using his jab well to keep off the marauding Tonks, Tonks continued to pour on the pressure but would have to give this round to Sneide. Tonks came out in the final round and emptied the tank as he went forward with good pressure combinations, Sneide had his moments on the back foot but this was Tonks round.
Judge Kevin Parker scored it 40-37 Tonks I had 39 to 37 Tonks
The main event of the night was a six-round contest with southpaw Jermaine Osbourne Edwards in the home corner, Osbourne who is unbeaten in six fights was taking on Rusteen Fatkhullin in the welterweight division, Osbourne Edwards weighed in 10 stone 3 with Fatkhullin coming in 10 stone 4 with Mark Churchill reffing.
Osbourne-Edwards stalked Rysteen down from the first bell and was looking to land that southpaw backhand, it never landed flush but he dominated the round. Osbourne-Edwards continued to hunt Rusteen down who kept moving, Osbourne-Edwards got some nice combinations off to win the second round. Rusteen had a go back in the third and winged in some hooks that Osbourne-Edwards took on the gloves, Osbourne-Edwards continued to press and got some nice combinations off to win the round.
Rusteen was just trying to stay out of trouble in the fourth as Osbourne-Edwards kept the continuous pressure on getting some nice shots off winning the round. Rusteen stayed out of trouble in a quiet fifth round were Osbourne-Edwards got some good combinations off to win the round. Resteen had a go in the final round which suited Osbourne-Edwards who banged in some nice combinations, Rusteen soon went back into his shell and covered up to see the round and the fight out.
Judge Kevin Parker scored it 60-54 I had it the same
Dexter’s Thoughts
Got to say this was a highly entertaining show with some very competitive opponents for the home boxers to take on. This was the first time I had watched a lot of these fighters live and I got to say I was very impressed.
Ollie Cooper really impressed me with a very stylish shutout victory, he showed great shot-picking and movement and looked very relaxed throughout the fight taking his tally to 5 and 0, definitely one to watch.
Hamza looked good against MJ Hall winning every round and bring his tally to two without defeat. He is fighting at super Middleweight but I could see him being able to drop down to Middleweight or even better super welterweight, he dealt with Hall with ease with a nice southpaw jab and good movement.
Ash Perrigrew went to three unbeaten with a good win against Nahem Ali dropping him in the second, the twenty-four-year-old looks like he has a bright future ahead of him.
Gully Powar showed he is ready to move up the ranks against a very game Mexican in Hector Lozano, easily the fight of the night but Powar showed his class winning every round and taking his record to four without defeat.
Ryan Woolridge had a great contest against a very game Nikoka Stoyanov who asked questions of Woolridge who came up with the answers to win a very tough contest. These kinds of fights are worth much more to these up-and-coming fighters than the journeymen who just turn up and run and Woolridge will get more out of this than his other fights, credit for Stoyanov for having a go.
Jay Jay Tonks looked impressive on his debut and seems like he will be a very entertaining fighter with his come-forward boxing style. I look forward to seeing him in action again soon.
Jermaine Osbourne-Edwards caused to victory against Rusteen Fatkhullin who had moments in the fight but was shut down by Osbourne-Edwards who was dominant throughout the contest. He is now seven unbeaten and I think he needs a proper test against someone who will fight back and ask him questions. He has a great gimmick with his entrance walk and a big following and I think it is time to test the Kundalini King.
Many, many thanks to BcB for having the Column there and I look forward to the next one.