In September 2010 Frank Warren staged a present in Birmingham that showcased seven of the greatest names in British boxing, writes Matt Bozeat
NATHAN CLEVERLY V KARO MURAD
Cleverly Age: 23
Record: 19-0 (9)
Murat Age: 27
Record: 22-0 (13)
THE excellent efficiency of the night time got here from Cleverly, a number of months after he gained a level in Pure Mathematics.
Murad went into the eliminator for the WBO light-heavyweight title with a spotless 22-0 report, whereas Cleverly had gained his earlier six inside the distance.
Cleverly battered the German. Told to maintain the struggle lengthy by cornerman Dean Powell after he took a number of in the fourth, Cleverly, the British and Commonwealth champion from Cefn Forest, ignored him.
Cleverly stored strolling as much as Murad and unloading energy punches till the German couldn’t take any extra. Murad shipped so much of pictures earlier than referee Mark Nelson wouldn’t let him out for the 10th spherical.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Cleverly gained the interim WBO title in his subsequent struggle by outpointing late alternative Nadjib Mohammedi and was upgraded to full belt-holder after Juergen Braehmer pulled out 4 days earlier than they have been set to fulfill in May 2011.
Cleverly made a high-profile defence towards Tony Bellew earlier than the belt was misplaced to Sergey Kovalev in Cardiff August 2013, a crushing four-round loss that Cleverly struggled to course of.
He was listless in a rematch with Bellew at 200lbs, however went to grow to be a champion at 175lbs once more, stopping Braehmer greater than 5 years after they’d been initially scheduled to fulfill.
Cleverly misplaced the title to Badou Jack and retired with a 30-4 report. There have been ongoing issues for his psychological well being, significantly after he made weird social media posts as ‘Clev the G.’
Four years after dropping to Cleverly, Murad began promisingly towards 48-year-old Bernard Hopkins in one other worldn title problem earlier than Hopkins took over to win unanimously.
MATTHEW MACKLIN V SHALVA JOMARDASHVILI
Macklin Age: 28
Record: 26-2 (18)
Jomardshvili: Age 23
Record: 27-2-1 (19)
THE plan had been to prime the invoice with native hero Matthew Macklin difficult Darren Baker for the British and European middleweight titles.
The identical venue, the NEC in Birmingham, had staged the first Nigel Benn-Chris Eubank contest 20 years earlier however Macklin-Barker didn’t occur. Barker was dominated out with a hip damage, leaving Macklin to face Shalva Jomardashvili for the vacant European championship that Macklin had beforehand held.
The Georgian had 15 wins inside three rounds towards questionable opposition, however on a earlier go to to Britian, he had taken a pair of rounds off Martin Murray in a six-rounder. Jomardashvili was sturdy, however no match for Macklin, who was educated for the struggle by Freddie Roach.
Macklin had reeled off 9 straight wins after transferring as much as 160lbs following a knockout loss to Jamie Moore in 2006’s finest home struggle and was at all times in management.
He bloodied the Georgian’s nostril and dazed him with a thumping left hook in the fifth, a punch that appeared to sicken Jomardashvili. He didn’t come out for the sixth.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Nine months later, Macklin misplaced a break up to Felix Sturm in a WBA title problem, in 2012 he was stopped in 11 by Sergio Martinez and, in his final shot at a world belt the following yr, crushed in three by Gennadiy Golovkin. Macklin retired after a factors win over Brian Rose in April 2016, taking his report to 35-6.
Macklin at the moment works as a commentator and pundit for Sky Sports.
Jomardashvili was nonetheless combating final yr, a first-round loss to Hussein Muhamed (16-0) in Germany 14 months in the past was his third straight loss inside two rounds. That outcome left his report 34-19-2.
SAM SEXTON v DEREK CHISORA
Sexton Age: 26
13-1 (6)
Chisora Age: 26
Record: 13-0 (8)
TWO years earlier, Chisora and Sexton had been paired collectively in a six-rounder once they have been 4-0 and 7-0 respectively.
Chisora gained that struggle at the York Hall with a stoppage simply 26 seconds from the ultimate bell and once they met once more, each have been champions. Chisora was British king after dethroning Danny Williams and Sexton had the Commonwealth championship.
From Norwich, Sexton had twice crushed Martin Rogan in Belfast, jabbing his option to a transparent win in the rematch after a controversial ending to their first struggle. He would discover it more durable to land his lead hand on Chisora, who raised smiles at the weigh in.
Previously fined and suspended for biting Paul Butlin and punished once more for kissing Carl Baker, Chisora pulled a pair of socks out of the entrance of his underwear as he stood on the scales.
He was straight right down to enterprise the following night time, nonetheless, scoring with flurries to take an early lead on the scorecards. Sexton rallied to shut the hole to a single level on two of the playing cards and one on the different after eight. Chisora then went up a gear. He smashed a number of rights off Sexton’s jaw to depart him badly dazed and referee John Keane jumped in to wave the struggle off.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Thirteen years, two world-title challenges and three losses to Tyson Fury later, the 39-year-old Chisora remains to be combating and one thing of a cult determine amongst British followers. Chisora, who goes by the nickname ‘War’ having began out as the moderately extra enjoyable ‘Del Boy,’ says he needs three extra fights to succeed in 50 earlier than he walks away.
Sexton became British champion 4 years later, outpointing Scotland’s Gary Cornish. The title was misplaced when Sexton ran onto a Hughie Fury proper hand in 2018 and he didn’t field once more. Sam not too long ago became a father for a second time and is a profitable private coach in his house metropolis.
KELL BROOK v MICHAEL JENNINGS
Brook Age: 24
Record: 21-0 (14)
Jennings Age: 33
Record: 36-2 (17)
AFTER three postponements, Brook and Jennings lastly met. Brook, the British welterweight champion, had gained already the Lonsdale Belt outright in a mixed whole of solely 13 rounds and Jennings was seen as the subsequent step in his profession.
He had his moments towards Miguel Cotto in a world title problem at Madison Square Garden earlier than being overpowered in 5 rounds.
Following that second profession defeat, Jennings, educated by Brian Hughes, had a pair of low-key wins – after which went in with Brook, who had stopped his earlier six.
What promised to be one of the night time’s highlights proved to be one thing of an anti-climax. Brook took management of the struggle along with his jab after which put collectively a burst of punches in the fifth spherical that sliced open a minimize on Jennings’ proper eyebrow.
Referee Terry O’Connor inspected the wound after which waved the struggle off.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Brook went on to win the IBF championship in August 2014, outpointing Shawn Porter on a deserved majority vote in Carson, California. He made three defences earlier than dethroned by Errol Spence having jumped as much as 160lbs to face Gennadiy Golovkin in his earlier struggle and dropping in 5.
Brook introduced his retirement after settling with prolonged feud with Amir Khan by stopping him in six rounds final February, however at 37 years outdated, he doesn’t seem to have utterly dismissed the concept of combating once more, with a match towards Conor Benn mooted.
Jennings didn’t field once more and has gone on to grow to be a profitable coach of each amateurs and professionals; Jack Cullen is the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion, whereas Mark Jeffers has the English belt at 168lbs. In the novice ranks, Jennings has had 4 boxers representing England not too long ago and teenage son Mikey is displaying promise.
JAMES DEGALE v CARL DILKS
DeGale Age 24
Record: 7-0 (5)
Dilks Age 26
Record: 14-2 (5)
This was the first actual take a look at for 2008 Olympic champion DeGale in the execs. The two losses on Dilks’ report have been disputed, together with a loss to Charles Adamu for the vacant Commonwealth belt 10 months earlier.
DeGale and Dilks have been by no means going to get on forward of their British title eliminator. DeGale was a flashy Londoner who knew he wouldn’t be to everybody’s style – calling himself a ‘Marmite’ fighter – whereas Dilks, moderately extra grounded, was a labourer from Liverpool who had additionally labored on the doorways after leaving the Army.
DeGale hadn’t made the finest of impressions on the Birmingham public when he made his professional debut, selecting up a warning for slapping throughout a routine factors win.
There was nothing unsuitable with the punches DeGale aimed toward Dilks in the 2-54 the struggle lasted, nonetheless. DeGale, who had been a pound over the super-middleweight restrict when he first acquired on the scales, quickly bloodied Dilks’ nostril with punches he didn’t see coming, then acquired him on the ropes and unloaded to pressure the stoppage.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
In his subsequent struggle, DeGale took the British title from Paul Smith with a ninth-round stoppage and went in the report books as the first British fighter to win Olympic gold and world honours in the execs by outpointing Andre Dirrell for the vacant IBF belt in Boston in May 2015.
There was a gruelling draw with Badou Jack when DeGale tried so as to add the WBC belt and he went on to lose after which regain the IBF belt in fights with Caleb Truax. DeGale went into their first struggle a 1/100 favorite.
DeGale had lengthy grown sick of boxing politics earlier than he retired after a factors loss to Chris Eubank Jnr in February 2019.
Dilks went on to lose a Merseyside derby to Rocky Fielding for the English belt at 168lbs earlier than retiring with an 18-8 report.
MATTHEW HALL V LUKAS KONECNY
Hall Age 26
Record: 23-2 (16)
Konecny Age 32
Record: 44-3 (21)
THIS battle of sluggers for the vacant EBU super-lightweight strap was at all times prone to be a spotlight of the present and so it proved.
Hall acquired his probability after Ryan Rhodes pulled out by means of damage.
The sad-eyed puncher had been getting ready to face French southpaw Cedric Vitu and didn’t assume twice when supplied struggle with Czech, who had boxed at the 2000 Olympics and misplaced a world title problem up at 160lbs a pair of years beforehand.
It was a struggle Hall, a professional at 18 and with Anthony Farnell in his nook after splitting from Hughes, had fancied from some time. He felt he may beat anybody who selected to face in entrance of him – and that was Konecny’s recreation.
Hall and Konecny solely threw hooks at one another – and the Czech had the edge. His defence was tighter, he had extra concepts and cracks began to look in Hall in the fifth.
After Konecny buckled his legs with a left hook in the sixth, the Czech went for the end. He dropped Hall twice and it was waved off.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Hall introduced his retirement after the struggle – “I’m not as good as I think I am, so I’m going to do something else” – however had a rethink.
He went on to get a shot at the British and Commonwealth middleweight titles in March 2013, and was soundly outpointed by Billy Joe Saunders. Hall had the final struggle of his 26-7 professional profession in 2015.
Now 39, Hall, a father of three women, is planning to return to the Collyhurst and Moston gymnasium the place he began out as an novice coach.
Konecny challenged for world honours twice extra, dropping unanimous selections to Zaurbek Baysangurov and Peter Quillin, at 154lbs and 160lbs respectively. His final struggle was as not too long ago as February 2021 when, as a 42 year-old, he posted a 52nd win in 57 fights.
ENZO MACCARINELLI v ALEXANDER FRENKEL
Maccarinelli Age 30
Record: 32-4 (25)
Frenkel Age 25
Record: 22-0 (17)
FRANK WARREN had urged Maccarinelli to stop after back-to-back KO losses to Ola Afolabi and Denis Lebedev.
The Welshman carried on and after a pair of routine one-round wins, he went to Russia and chinned Alexander Kotlobay inside a spherical for the vacant European belt.
Frenkel may punch himself – 17 early wins on his 22-0 report – however at the midway stage, the German was behind on two playing cards and seemed to be dropping curiosity.
Everything modified in a break up second in the seventh. Both loaded up on left hooks and Frenkel acquired there a break up second first, leaving Maccarinelli flat on his again. Though groggy when he acquired up, Maccarinelli was allowed to hold on. Frenkel quickly despatched him crashing once more and it was waved off.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Macacrinelli went on to struggle for world honours at 175lbs and chinned Roy Jones earlier than retiring. Financially comfy, Maccarinelli has toyed with the concept of having one other struggle, what can be the 50th of his profession. As but, that hasn’t occurred. Enzo has as a substitute focused on working the novice membership he inherited from his late father, Bonymaen, and he additionally does some commentary work.
Frenkel by no means boxed once more, with damage and psychological well being cited as doable causes.
Source link
