Ovill McKenzie needed just 15 seconds to bring the Commonwealth title to Derby.
The fast-starting East Midlands-based Jamaican [pictured] exploded out of the blocks, drove novice pro Jeff Evans back onto the ropes, and detonated a right that left the Welshman sprawling over the bottom rope on the BoxNation-televised bill in Halifax [November 11].
Evans had been tipped by a few well-respected figures in the trade to spring a surprise on McKenzie, who was only seen as dangerous for three or four rounds. If the Welsh light-heavyweight boss could ride that expected 12-minute shellacking, it was believed he could take over and grind-out a points win over the veteran 2009 cruiserweight Prizefighter champion.
But though Gary Lockett-trained Evans entered with a respectable-looking 8-1-1 (1) paid ledger that saw his solitary reversal arrive on points, he didn't manage to survive 20 seconds with a fired-up fighter who cheerfully danced his way to the ring on the Wayne Carmichael and Frank Warren-promoted show at the North Bridge Leisure Centre.
McKenzie was coming off back-to-back defeats to Tony Bellew, but had dropped the Liverpudlian twice in their first up-and-down classic. Ovill was controversially stopped in the eighth and then comprehensively out-boxed over 12 in their British and Commonwealth rematch in July.
But the 31-year-old left nothing to chance in this vacant title outing, rattled his ambitious opponent with a right to the temple with his first real punch in anger and then finishing the job with a decisive blow that landed sweetly between the jaw and the temple. Referee Terry O'Connor immediately dispensed with the count and beckoned-in the awaiting medics at ringside.
And now talk has turned to a title defence against Enzo Maccarinelli, the former WBO world cruiserweight king who makes his comeback at light-heavy after 14 months out of the ring. Jason Shinfield [trainer] hinted that he'd want that title clash to take place in Derby or Nottingham, at the Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre - if Enzo successfully negotiates his bill-topping ten-rounder with undefeated Hungarian Gyorgy Marosi at York Hall next Friday unscathed.
For McKenzie, though, he was just delighted to be finally re-acquainted with an old friend. "I've been waiting a long time to get my title back," beamed the iron-fisted now-two-time Commonwealth 12st 7lbs champion, 19-11 (8), who held this belt from September 2006 till February 2007.
"Respect to Evans for taking this fight and for coming to have a go and i hope that he's okay after what happened. But i told Jason in training that i wasn't going to waste any time and go any longer than i had to do. I didn't let him down," the 33-year-old happily added.
For the record, Phil Edwards, Howard Foster and Dave Parris were the three judges rendered irrelevant by McKenzie's explosive display of punching.
In a cracking little four-round cameo that took place in front of a handful of early-arriving fans, Shinfield-handled Lee Jevons, now winless in three, lost out 39-38 to unbeaten [now in two] local Richard Bitner. Derbyshire's Jevons dwarfed the West Yorkshireman by seven inches and looked good for a draw after winning the first and last rounds for me with long rights. But Bitner's better work in the middle rounds swung the verdict for official John Latham.
Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.
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