Bad luck seems to be following Martin Gordon around.
The capable Brierley Hill welterweight has had an up-and-down pro career that, with a bit of luck, could have been so different. He's had no fewer than eight fights (including three single-point reversals) that could easily have been marked in his favour.
With those defeats still rankling, Gordon (pictured on the left) planned to take matters out of the referee's hands at the weekend (Saturday, May 14). Again, however, the third man in the ring conspired against a former top-rated Black Country welterweight who has twice come up short in cracks at British and International Masters titles.
That's because 24 seconds into a scheduled four-rounder against North Yorkshire's Matt Doyle, four wins in six entering, the fight was over.
The record books will show that Gordon - who has having his 14th outing as a paid performer, at York's Energise Sports Centre - was stopped in the opening round. But delve deeper into what actually happened and it's not as clear-cut as it would look at first glance.
Although the fight didn't last half a minute, the action was frenetic and action-packed. Within 10 seconds both had clashed heads and then Doyle, who was stitched up afterwards, had been forced to concede ground after shipping a brace of solid lefts from the fired-up visiting fighter.
Then came a moment that wasn't too dissimilar to when Bernard Hopkins met Robert Allen in 1998.
"I began the fight stronger," the 28-year-old West Midlander began," and hurt him with a double left hook early on. But it was soon after that he came up with his head, caught me near by my left ear and i slipped - falling through the ropes and onto the ringside table.
"To tell the truth, i was a bit dazed as i did hit my head quite hard but i probably could have fought on," a confused and angry Gordon candidly confessed a day after the set 12-minute bout. "But i thought Howard Foster, because i was cut as well and he's a good ref, would stop it and call it a technical draw or a No Contest.
"I couldn't believe it when he awarded the fight to Doyle and said that i'd been caught with a body shot that had forced me to drop. Rubbish."
It appears that Friday the 13 came a day late for the Shaun Cooper-trained trier, who needed five stitches above his left ear.
Errol Johnson, a well-respected trainer, matchmaker, manager and promoter, implored South Yorkshire's Foster - one of Britain's most respected and talented officials - to change the result but it fell on deaf ears, leaving Gordon to put his immediate career plans on hold to September at the earliest.
He said: "I've now got a 45-day suspension (mandatory for a cut) and that means i won't be able to fight against [Tom] Bowen on June 4 in Walsall. That's a huge disappointment for me.
"But then i want him [Doyle] again as soon as i can after the summer break. I haven't got a problem with him - and i beat his trainer, Glenn Banks, three times as an amateur - but i hurt him and know that i'd set the record straight next time."
And the honest scrapper rounded off by roaring: "I know a lot of boxers say this but i would fight him for free to get my revenge. I'll knock him out given the chance."
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