Tommy Owens Promotions held their June show at Planet Ice Solihull (10.6.23), the promotion had put on a stacked card with a total of twelve contest. The Column has already reported on five of these contests with the links to the reports below so we will be concentrating on the seven we haven’t reported on. The show which consisted of three Six three-minute round fights, one six two-minute rounder, and eight four three-minute rounders. In this write up we will be looking at fighting out of the home corner doing four rounders, Shabir Haidary, David Butlin, Hosea Stewart, and Lewis Howells. Doing the six-rounders we have the talented Ashlee Eales, Musa Moyo with female boxer Amy Andrews doing six two-minute round fights. Referees on the night were Chris Dean, Pete McCormick, and Jamie Kirkpatrick.
First up we have Zimbabwean-born Musa Moyo who was taking on Edgars Sniedze in a six-round cruiserweight contest. The twenty-seven-year-old who resides in Hinckley is unbeaten in five fights and is having his second six rounder of his career. His opponent Sniedze (34) from Latvia has had a total of four-six fights. Moyo weighed in Thirteen stone four with Sneidze coming in Thirteen stone one with Jamie Kirkpatrick reffing.
Steady start by both fighters with Moyo dictating the pace as he fought most of the round in a southpaw stance. Relentless attacks by Moyo in the second who again spent most of the round as a southpaw. Mayo won the round with ease. Mayo stuck to his orthodox stance in the third and continued his high tempo attacks banging in some big combinations to the head and body.
Moyo went back to switch-hitting in the fourth and poured on the pressure, Sneidze had some joy with some good shots but Moyo won the round. Both fighters looked tired in the fifth but Moyo was still coming forward putting some nice combinations together, Sniedze again had some joy but it was Moyo’s Round. Moyo showed great movement and let shots go as he continued his relentless pressing until the final bell.
Ref Jamie Kirkpatrick scored it 59 to 55 Moyo, I had it 60 to 54.
Next on the card was southpaw Shabir Haidary from Gloucestershire, the twenty-four-year-old who was born in Afghanistan was having the sixth contest of his career. Haidary had won all five of his fights so far and was taking on veteran Journeyman Michael Mooney in a welterweight four-round contest. Haidary weighed in nine stone 6 with Mooney coming in ten stone seven with Pete McCormick reffing.
Haidary came out very confidently in the first with his hands down moving well and pot shooting Mooney and slipping out of the way when Mooney attacked. Mooney landed some nice shots at the start of the second but Haidary continued to slip and slide and put some nice fast combinations together to win the round.
Less messing around in the third by Haidary as he boxed well picking nice shots and getting nice fast combinations off. Haidary banged in some lovely combinations in the final round to Mooney’s head and body but did catch him with a low blow which he was warned about, after Mooney was given time to recover Haidary continued his excellent work smashing in combination after combination to win the round and the fight.
Judge Chris Dean scored it 40 to 36 Haidary I had it the same.
We then moved to a female contest which would be contested over six, two-minute rounds, New Zealand-born Amy Andrew (37) would be taking on Wendellin Cruz (27) from Nicaragua. Andrew who is now based in London was having her fourth professional contest after winning her first three, Cruz had fought twelve times and had won five of them with one ending in a draw. Andrew weighed in 9 stone three with Cruz coming in nine stone one in this featherweight contest with Jamie Kirkpatrick reffing.
The ref was not happy with Andrew’s gloves when he checked them and they had to be changed before the contest could start. Andrew let some big right hands off in a competitive first round with Andrew just edging it. Andrew landed another big right hand in the second and was in control of the fight against a very game opponent. The third was another competitive round with Cruz letting her hands go and putting some nice shots together but was just outworked by Andrew.
In the fourth Cruz again let her hands go getting some nice combinations off, she finished the round strong to nick it. Andrew stepped up the pace in the fifth getting some good shots off which gave her the round. Both fighters went for it in the final round both landing combinations with Andrew just edging it.
Ref Jamie Kirkpatrick had it 60 to 55 Andrew I had it 59 to 55 Andrew.
Next up was Nuneaton’s Southpaw Ashlee Eales having the eighth contest of his professional career. The twenty-nine-year-old who has won all of his seven contests so far was taking on Dale Arrowsmith in a six-round Middleweight contest. Eales weighed in 11 stone with Arrowsmith coming in at ten stone 13 with Chris Dean reffing.
A great execution of boxing skills by Eales who used his jab well putting some nice combinations together to win the first round with ease. Eales still looked like he was warming into the fight in the second as he danced around picking nice shots and banging the odd combinations in but nothing with any real intent behind it. Eales let his hands go in the third getting some heavy shots off but still seemed happy to dance and move around the ring and showcase his skills.
Eales started to put the hurt on Arrowsmith in the fourth who seemed to have no answer for Eales skills. Eales just seemed to be enjoying himself out there in the fifth, spinning Arrowsmith who was now in full survival mode and was being picked off by some cracking shots. Eales worked Arrowsmith’s body with some evil shots with Arrowsmith just looking to see the final bell which somehow he did.
Ref Chris Dean Scored it 60 to 54 Eales I had it the same.
David Butlin was the next fighter to be coming out of the home corner, the twenty-nine-year-old light Heavyweight was having his second professional contest and was taking on veteran Journeyman Daryl Sharp in a four-round contest. Sharp (31) from Manchester Has had 117 professional fights to date and will be a good test for Butlins second fight. Butlin weighed in twelve stone nine with Sharpe voting in twelve stone six with Jamie Kirkpatrick reffing.
Butlin controlled the centre of the ring in the first round and used his jab well to keep Sharp at bay. Butlin continued to control the second round but Sharp let his hands go and asked questions of Butlin who seemed to have the answers.
Butlin continued to control the fight in the third with Sharp looking to set traps for the fighter in his second fight, Butlin didn’t fall for any of them and won the round with ease. Sharp let some nice shots go in the final round but Butlin took them well and took control back of the round winning it and the fight.
Ref Jamie Kirkpatrick scored it 40 to 36 Butlin I had it the same.
We then had a rarity on TOP shows with a Heavyweight contest, in the home corner hailing from Wolverhampton we had Hosea Stewart. The twenty-five year old who has won two out of his four fights was taking on Nottingham-based fighter Lamah Griggs in a four-round contest. Stewart weighed in twenty-four stone with Griggs coming in seventeen stone twelve with Jamie Kirkpatrick reffing.
Both fighters came out to take each other's heads off with a big shot going in from both fighters, would have to give it to Griggs. Griggs started strong in the second getting some good shots off, Sweart then got behind his jab and started to dismantle Griggs with some heavy jabs and backhands.
Griggs continued to battle in the third and got some good shots off, Stewart used his jab and his size well to edge the round. Scrappy final round with both fighters looking tired, both had joy in this round but could not split them.
Ref Jamie Kirkpatrick had it 38 to 38 a draw myself I had it 39 to 38 Stewart.
The final fight was in the home corner of Stratford upon Avons Lewis Howell who would be taking on Nigerian Jackson Osagie in a four-round light Heavyweight contest. Howell (26) was having the third fight of his career after winning his first two, Osagie (31) who resides in Birmingham was also so unbeaten winning his first two contests.
Howell weighed in twelve stone two with Osagie coming in twelve stone four with Pete McCormick reffing.
Scrappy first round with lots of holding, both got some good shots off even round. The second was another close round with both fighters matching each other with work rate, would say Howell just edged it.
The doctor had a look at Osagies eye before the third which looked damaged before he started, he was allowed to continue and it was another close round but Howell just edged it. The final round was another Scrappy one but would have to give it to Osagie for his work rate.
Judge Chris Dean scored it 39 to 37 Howell I had it 39 to 38 Howell.
Dexter’s Thoughts
First thing is many thanks to Tommy Owens Promotions for having the Column at their show, for the last seven years I have been reporting on these shows and they have got better and better every year.
This was a great show that highlighted the level of boxing skills in Birmingham and the Black Country and even further afield as we had fighters from all over the world grace the squared circle at Planet Ice Solihull.
Every boxer in the home corner did the business on this show but the stand-out ones from this lineup have got to be Eales and Haidary. Both fighters are flashy and have great skills, Eales now really needs a proper test, you can continue to give him journeymen who he will beat with little fuss. Or you can get this exciting fighter in a 50, 50 fight against another young talent preferably with an area title on the line. I honestly think Eales needs the step up now because if he is as good as I think he is big titles are on their way to him. Haidary seems to be in the same position he needs a test, he is a very confident fighter with great movement but the question is for him and Eales can they perform like this when the plane field is even and a boxer with a winning record and a winning mentally are standing in front of them. This is an exciting question and for both fighters, I think they would rise to the challenge and I look forward to seeing this happening.