No joy for Midlands trio in Prizefighter

Midlands threesome Lee Glover, Barrington Brown and Troy James all failed in their bids to win the title of featherweight Prizefighter champion in London last night [October 29].

Both Glover, Tipton, and Brown, Nottingham, fell at the first quarter-final hurdle - with Coventry's James losing out in the semi on the Sky Sports-televised eight-man competition at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

First out of the hat, drew by former world 9st bosses Colin McMillan [WBO] and Barry McGuigan [WBA], was unbeaten Glover, who got the fighter most were looking to avoid until the final [or completely, if he'd been eliminated by someone else] - eventual winner and Spencer Fearon-handled Mongolian warrior Choi Tsveenpurev.

The final two balls to be drawn were Brown and ex-McGuigan-managed 'Terrifying' Troy [pictured above in their give-and-take fight], who'd face each other in a intriguing-looking East vs West Midlands nine-minute derby.

But Errol Johnson-trained Glover, unblemished in six entering [two quickly] and the current International Masters champion, was first up and brutally swatted aside by world-ranked Choi. The now-Capital-based former WBU boss cleverly sensed the right over the top would do the damage and sent the Black Countryman hurtling to the canvas with 45 seconds left of the opener.

Lee [9st 1 1/2lbs], only 24 and with plenty of time on his side to come again, boxed well in between being rattled with the rights and hitting the floor, landing his well-schooled jab with a degree of ease. But a dangerously low left and inexperience at this level meant his destiny was already mapped out. 

And so it proved when, early in the second stanza, the self-styled 'Tipton Slasher' was lifted off his feet by his powerfully-built 40-year-old opponent and dropped again. He got up, walked to his corner and signaled [with a sly shake of his glove] that he was through. The referee, Victor Loughlin, completed the count after 62 seconds of the set three-rounder.

The all-Midlands quarter-final between Tony Harris-trained Barrington 'Killah' Brown [9st 1 1/2lbs] and well-built Troy James looked good from the outset. On his day, tall, lean, big-hitting Brown can give any man a decent run for his money and was back at the weight that saw him obliterate touted former amateur star Lloyd Otte in 2006 [at this venue].

But after stiffening the legs of James, who entered with a 9-0-1 (3) paid tab, in the opening minute with an overhand right and whipping left and right uppercuts, 29-year-old Radford-based Barrington was muscled onto the back foot and, at the end of the three-rounder, out of the competition. Troy's body shots saw Brown's output drop and though he landed a corking uppercut at the death in the final session, it was too late.

Though the decision was unanimous for the Coventry feather [9st 1 1/4lbs], two of the three judges marked it 29-28 [like myself], presumably giving the Nottingham puncher, now with five wins [two stoppages] and three draws in 14, the opening three minutes, with the third tallying a 30-28 score that probably meant he gave the first round a draw.

But there would be no luck for James in the semi, neatly out-boxed by Manchester's silky Rhys Roberts. Troy had a better final three minutes but, like Brown in their match, left himself too much to do. Two gave the Midlander the third [29-28] and one gave him a share of the third [30-28] but Roberts advanced by unanimous decision and went on to lose to Choi in the final.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

McPhilbin frustrated by slippery Cover

The only fighter who could have frustrated Shane McPhilbin more than his opponent last night would have been recently-disposed British champion Rob Norton. 

The mallet-fisted Midland Area cruiserweight champion from Bulwell [pictured with his Area title in June] found it hard to pin-down slippery ex-Ingle-trained Simeon Cover but landed a steady stream of straight rights to secure a 59-56 six-twos points victory in his home city.

For the record, i thought referee John Keane's tally was a trifle generous to Worksop's Cover, returning to competitive action for the first time in over three years and in fight 61 [16 wins, four inside, and two draws], and had the Nottingham banger a shut-out winner at Clifton Leisure Centre.

But McPhilbin [14st 13lbs] will just have been glad to fight. He was originally penciled in to fight Birmingham-based Zimbabwean Hastings Rasani, but the former Commonwealth title challenger withdrew last weekend following the death of his father. Then another Commonwealth belt challenger, Billy Boyle, was drafted in before he pulled out on Wednesday and Cover was settled on.

To break the 12 minutes down would be a dull affair - and that's through no fault of the home ticket-seller. Shane, who won the Midland belt with a spectacular three-round destruction of then-unbeaten Rhys Davies in June, was the man looking to work throughout - left hooks and straight rights - and any decent, clean shots that were landed [and there were few] arrived from his iron-laden gloves.

Yet negative Cover [14st 10 1/4lbs] moved as though he was skating on ice and, when the action moved in close, ducked and grabbed hold of the 25-year-old, supported at ringside by one of Bulwell's most famous fighting sons [ex-British champion Del Bryan] and another former Lonsdale belt-holder from Nottingham, Tony Laing, around the waist.

Still, 33-year-old Simeon was forced to hold tightly when a left and looping right bounced off his shaven-headed dome in the fifth - with the same trick repeated successfully in the final two minutes. But the look of frustration and disgust on the face of 'Mr Block' at the final bell said it all; he wanted to have a fight.

It would be hard to gauge what McPhilbin's level is at or what level he has potential to reach if you'd only seen him box last night. But I've seen him on four or five occasions and have no qualms in predicting that he'd rip the British cruiserweight title from Streatham's Leon Williams if the opportunity presented itself. 

Williams controversially took the belt from Stourbridge's Rob Norton last week in a fight he looked very fortunate to win. Although improving, he's been knocked out before and is a one-dimensional scrapper who wants a fighter to come to him. The iron-chinned East Midlander, who absorbed punishment from former British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion Michael Sprott and from Tyson Fury [three times] in the vest, would do that and i'd favour his strength and power to show through.

In the meantime, however, Shane [who was noisily supported by hundreds of passionate fans from his area of the Lace City] is set to box again on December 3 in Newark, at the Grove Leisure Centre, before an assault on the English and possibly British crowns are mounted in 2012.

But he left a chilling message to the newly-crowned domestic cruiserweight king. "If i got the chance, i'd knock Williams out," roared the Carl Greaves-handled former heavyweight Prizefighter semi-finalist. "I'd love to."

Maughan battles through cut to win Hardy battle

Terry Maughan must have thought he was going to be in for an easy night when he decked Andy Hardy less than than 30 seconds into his six-rounder in Nottingham last night.

But Hardy clambered to his feet, bravely fought back for the remainder of the bout and went down 58-56 [scored on the outside by John Keane for trialist referee Gareth Morris] after a crowd-pleasing 12-minute all-Nottingham affair that got my vote for fight of the night on the Carl Greaves-promoted bill.

Mr Keane's scoreline was, for what it's worth, a tad too close for me and i had the Sneinton-based light-middleweight a far more commanding 59-55 victor [giving his opponent the third and a share of a back-and-forth fifth].

But Scott Calow-handled Hardy [11st 4 1/2lbs] - a game, hard trier from Newstead - made Irish-rooted Terry work every minute for his win, aggressively throwing himself into a toe-to-toe war that saw both absorb plenty of punishment.

Although with no amateur background and only five unlicenced boxing bouts [all wins] to his name before he turned professional in October 2009, Tony Harris-trained, Jimmy Gill-managed Maughan surprisingly out-boxed a 26-year-old [now winless in five] who had over 60 unpaid contests.

And it looked as though Andy would suffer the first inside-the-distance defeat of his eight-month paid career when a counter right sent him tumbling early in the opening stanza. More off-balance than overly hurt, in truth, he was up quickly but was rattled again moments later when a right-handed body-head combination crashed home.

Maughan boxed neatly in the second but a stray elbow mid-way through the third left the former Richie Woodhall-coached scrapper sliced on the right eyebrow, surviving an inspection from the ringside doctor. Jimmy Gill worked magic to stem the flow of blood between rounds and both traded furiously during the fourth and fifth, with vociferously-supported Terry nailing oncoming Hardy with more well-timed rights.

Once again, the better, crisper and cleaner shots came from Maughan in the last but Hardy, biting down on his gumshield and windmilling with both silver-gloved fists, never stopped trying and optimistically offered his hand to Mr Morris at the final bell, only to be left disappointed for the fifth time this year.

But despite the win, the victor wasn't completely satisfied with his performance. "I started to neglect my jab after a while and just got involved in a bit of a war with him," admitted the ambitious former three-time British kickboxing champion [11st 2 1/4lbs], who registered his sixth professional win in eight and fourth on the spin.

"If i'd continued to have boxed off my jab, picking the right shot after stopping him in his tracks with a solid lead, then i could have made life a lot simpler and won with a bit more ease. But it's a learning curve.

"But i loved being involved in a hard fight like that and i can't wait to get back in there and go at it again," he continued. "I've got big ambitions and i'm aiming for a title, whatever belt that's being offered to me, next year."

Finnegan to consider future after unexpected defeat

Jonjo Finnegan is to have a serious think about his boxing future after being shockingly halted in Nottingham last night.

The popular British Masters 12st champion from Burton [pictured on the pads] had set his sights on an exciting-looking scrap with returning Rod Anderton for the vacant Midland Area light-heavyweight belt in 2012.

But a day shy of 12 months since he won his treasured title in a torrid ten-round struggle with Sheffield binman Dean Walker on a atmospheric night in his hometown, he was sensationally sent sprawling in two rounds by Doncaster's unheralded James Tucker.

Tucker, who secured his fifth win [second by stoppage] in 51 [three draws], uncorked an earth-trembling left half way through the second of a scheduled six-twos that sent Jonjo crashing to the canvas with a thud. Although he made it to his feet before the count of eight, albeit on unsteady pins, referee John Keane had a close look into his eyes and made the sensible decision to end matters at 1.29.

The warning signs were, however, there from the opening round, which Finnegan [12st 11 1/4lbs] edged on my card. As would be expected from an ex-Midland ABA champion who boxed for the Irish title in the pros, Jonjo was the superior technician but his unusually-lax defence meant that he shipped several of those soon-to-be-pivotal lefts and looping rights.

Now handled by former WBF super-featherweight boss Carl Greaves, the South Yorkshireman looked a different animal to the one i'd seen in the past, when he'd done just about enough to survive. Yet it was obvious to anyone at a packed-out Clifton Leisure Centre that the 26-year-old, naturally bigger but lighter [12st 9 3/4lbs] on the night, fancied securing his second win in as many outings - having dropped and outpointed unbeaten James Cunningham three weeks ago.

That was clearly re-enforced in the early moments of the second and then brutally underlined 89 seconds in when he connected with that thudding left that broke Finnegan's jaw. He's set to box in Halifax next week, against winless local Shazad Hussain, and what price on the now-streaking puncher to complete a hat-trick of victories?

What Jonjo, who sold over 100 tickets and now drops to 14-7-3, decides to do next is entirely up to him. If he decides to call it a career, the 31-year-old can hold his head high and be proud of capturing a professional title he'd craved from day one. But knowing the type of man he is, i can't see him wanting to bow out of the sport like that.

Incidentally, interested spectator seated next to me at ringside was Paddy Connors, the Derbyshire light-heavyweight who outpointed Tucker 60-55 on his paid debut last month. The well-built Irish-rooted scrapper boxes for the second time in Leicester on December 4 and happily mused that it made his comfortable win look even better.

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Ingle pair McIntosh and Wood win in Nottingham

Dominic Ingle-trained Nottingham twosome Nathan McIntosh and Leigh Wood secured wide points decisions last night [October 28] in their home city.

McIntosh [pictured right] returned to paid action for the first time in two years, on the Carl Greaves, Jimmy Gill and Tony Harris-promoted card at a packed Clifton Leisure Centre, and pounded-out a 60-54 six-twos nod over ultra-durable Worcester gypsy Billy Smith.

Though the St Ann's welterweight conceded almost five pounds in weight to the 33-year-old former two-time Midland Area champion [10st 12 1/2lbs to 11st 4 1/2lbs], it didn't make any difference. Smith's face was reddened by sharp lead lefts as early as the opening 60 seconds  and Nathan gradually turned the screw as the 24-month rust shred and his confidence grew.

Fast-handed head-body-head flurries from the six-fight [all points] unbeaten East Midlander kept him several steps ahead of the 119-bout Errol Johnson-handled, though with Bob Plant in his corner last night, warhorse. Any attacks mounted from Smith were nimbly avoided by quick-footed, low-guarded McIntosh, who dominated through rounds four and five with an assortment of up and down blows.

Billy came out of his shell more in the final two stanzas but was repeatedly nailed with the jab [turned over at the last second for more of an impact] and then forced to defend stoutly on the ropes in the final 30 seconds as the 23-year-old stylist opened up with solid rights to both head and body - underlining a solid come-backing performance.

Referee was trialist Gareth Morris [with John Keane scoring from ringside] and well-supported show-opener McIntosh, who impressed me despite having a tendency to slap with his right, can be pleased with a good night's work in which he boxed neatly and, in truth, never really got out of second gear.

The other Ingle-tutored boxer on show, popular 23-year-old ex-Phoenix ABC super-featherweight Wood [9st 2 3/4lbs], had a harder workout than the 60-54 six-twos score, handed down from ringside by John Keane [scoring for referee Morris], would suggest.

Although there was little doubt that the Gedling first-timer deserved to have his hand raised after 12 minutes of decent action, winless [now in seven, one draw] but willing Ferndale-based Chuck Jones [9st 6lbs] shared two rounds for me and left Wood in no doubt about the difference between the paid and unpaid codes of boxing.

The lean, neat-boxing Nottingham prospect started slowly, was marked up by the windmill-like punching of the sawn-off southpaw slugger, and didn't find any degree of fluid rhythm until the third. But when he did put his punches together, the former Junior ABA champion showed promise - digging the body well and finding enough space to slot in accurate straight rights that brought claret streaming from the Welshman's nose.

Jones, three years younger at 20, tried to rough the debutant up on several occasions but though tenacious and deterred by little, his opponent - from the same amateur club that produced WBC world super-middleweight champion Carl Froch - was that little bit better and was well-worth his wide maiden win without the vest and head guard.

Randell aiming for 'Gambian Tiger' scalp

Tony Randell has the chance to scalp a former Prizefighter champion tonight [October 27].

The talented if erratic Birmingham middleweight [pictured right] takes on 2010 super-middleweight champion Patrick Mendy in London in a fight that pitches Tony's sharp, long-armed boxing against the all-action style of the smaller Reading-based Gambian.

Mendy scalped two ex-Midland Area champions, Stourbridge's Sam Horton and Northampton's current English 12st boss Paul David, as well as Southern Area boss Daniel Cadman to take the £32,000 jackpot at York Hall 16 months ago.

Since then, the Jim Evans-managed 21-year-old has beaten-out three points decisions, including one over fading former British title contender Paul Samuels, and will be looking for win 12 in 16 [four defeats, all on points and all in excellent company; Kenny Anderson, Tobias Webb, Jez Wilson and Travis Dickinson].

But Randell, who used his height and brain to shockingly outpoint former world and European title challenger Luca Messi earlier in the year, is a capable Errol Johnson-trained boxer who, when he puts his mind to it and on-point, is a handful for most middleweights on the domestic scene.

The 39-bout [12 wins, four inside, and two draws] has been sparring with Jonjo Finnegan [the British Masters champion who boxes in Nottingham tomorrow] for this and has held both the Midland Area and International Masters straps - scoring sold wins over Max Maxwell and once-touted Kevin Concepcion [both on points in Area title ten-rounders].

"It's a good chance for me and i can show more people what i'm all about," the 29-year-old aspiring fashionasta coolly reasoned.

Fearless Carruthers faces another hard night

Terry Carruthers' spell of testing fights continues at the weekend.

The fearless Brummie middleweight crosses swords with stylish ex-ABA champion Liam Cameron, 10-1 (4), at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium on Saturday night [October 29] and that'll take the combined records of his last ten opponents to an impressive 104-19-3.

That the Jon Pegg-handled 25-year-old [pictured absorbing an uppercut from Kreshnik Qato] has won three and drew two of those [in company that can only be described, on the whole at least, as stellar] is an indication of the improvement he's made since he left Nobby Nobbs and made his return to paid action in 2009.

He thrashed Martin Robins, 7-1 entering, at the Second City's Tower Ballroom in September and then, most recently, appeared to have done more than enough to outpoint former WBF champ Kreshnik Qato over a good-value six. Surprisingly, though, the London-based Albanian, on promoter Spencer Fearon's Hard Knocks show in the Capital earlier in the month, was given a handy 59-56 nod.

But he's held Liverpool's undefeated Liam Smith [brother of former British champions Stephen and Paul] to a draw, as well as handing defeat to another Scouser, six-bout unbeaten Steve Harkin. A rematch a month later produced a six-round draw that shaven-headed Terry, with nine wins [one inside] and six draws in 25, looked to have won. 

Although big-hitting, Tommy Hearns-like Joe Selkirk [also from Liverpool] brushed him aside in just 75 seconds, both English 11st boss Brian Rose, who contests the British light-middleweight title in December, and sharp-boxing Southern Area champ Steve O'Meara could only narrowly outpointed him.

And Pegg, a well-respected promoter, trainer, matchmaker and ex-pro, said: "Terry has a difficult task against Cameron, who's a neat boxer and carries a solid dig. But he's improving and is starting to believe in himself and what he can do when he puts his mind to it. He'll give him a good argument."

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Maughan's Irish title goal

Terry Maughan is targeting an assault on the Irish title - providing he comes through his six-rounder on Friday [October 28] unscathed.

The Nottingham light-middleweight boxes in his home city, over 12 minutes against Andy Hardy on a Carl Greaves and Jimmy Gill-promoted five-fight bill at Clifton Leisure Centre, looking to register his sixth paid win in eight.

Though he broke even in his first four fights, the former three-time British kick-boxing champion has won three on the spin, including tamings of solid southpaw Wayne Downing and teak-tough Ryan Clark, without dropping a single session.

And the Tony Harris-trained fighter will hope to continue that form against a winless but willing 26-year-old who also hails from the Lace City. Hardy has been matched tough in his four professional outings [two debutants and two unbeaten middleweights] but has extended them all and a maiden win at home is certain to be on his agenda.

But ambitious Maughan, boxing in Nottingham for the fourth time, sees his future at a championship level - and the idle Irish 11st title, which hasn't been contested since iron-fisted former British champion Neil Sinclair blasted through Henry Coyle to win it in three rounds two years ago, is flashing brightly on his radar. 

First, however, the East Midlander knows he has to contend with a come-forward boxer who aims to ruin the party.

"I'm expecting to have a difficult fight on Friday," admitted an improving scrapper who hails from the same area of Nottingham [Sneinton] as one of the greatest-ever bare-knuckle fighters, William 'Bendigo' Thompson. 

"He's tough, comes to have a row and, like myself, will be looking to impress in his home town. But I've put in the hard work, both inside and outside of the gym, so there's no excuse; i'm ready for whatever Hardy brings.

"The Irish title is something i'm looking at in the future, as the title is vacant and i could put myself in a decent position to fight for it if i get a few more wins under my belt. But i'm not looking past Friday. 

"It'll be my first fight of the new season and i'm looking forward to my sixth win," the 26-year-old, who is joined on the card by two other Irish-rooted fighters, Bulwell's Midland Area cruiserweight champion Shane McPhilbin and Burton's British Masters 12st boss Jonjo Finnegan, added.

Big-hitting Brown handed Prizefighter chance

Barrington Brown is a last-minute addition to this Saturday's Prizefighter at York Hall.

The dangerous Tony Harris-trained Nottingham puncher was originally contacted by Eddie Hearn [Matchroom Boxing supremo] to appear in the original eight-man featherweight line-up at the weekend [October 29] but was then dropped in favour of novice George Jupp.

But with the injury withdrawal of Mickey Coveney, the streaking Irish and International Masters super-featherweight champion, 13-fight [five wins and three draws, two quickly] Brown, who once destroyed former top-rated amateur Lloyd Otte and held future British champion Gary Davies to a draw in 2006, is now back in the running for the £32,000 winners cheque in the capital.

In order to do that, though, the 29-year-old will have to win three contests in the space of three hours and possibly have to swap leather with two other Midlands nine stoners, Coventry's Troy James, 9-0-1 (3), and Tipton's International Masters featherweight boss Lee Glover, 6-0 (2). Feared Mongolian favourite Choi Tsveenpurev, 32-5 (22), fast-handed Manchester stylist Rhys Roberts, 13-1 (2), improving Scouser Lee Jennings, 5-2 (2), and Ian Bailey, 7-7, complete the always-entertaining competition of endurance.

Brown drew his last contest in September, over four with heavier first-timer Francis Maina at the same venue he goes to battle in on Saturday, but manager Jimmy Gill feels that his Radford-based charge has a realistic chance of success on the Sky Sports-televised show.

"He'll be the underdog," admitted a well-respected fight figure who was in the corner with Jason Booth last weekend," but is capable and though he drew last month, Barrington took that fight on three days notice and most thought he won."

Finnegan wants the best of British

Jonjo Finnegan has thrown down the gauntlet to Britain's light-heavyweights.

The popular Burton stylist boxes a few miles up the road in Nottingham on Friday night [October 28], on a Carl Greaves-promoted show at Clifton Leisure Centre, and has targeted big fights against the best in the country.

He's sold his allocation of 100 tickets and boxes over four against Doncaster's durable James Tucker, who's coming off a win over undefeated James Cunningham three weeks ago, on an all-Nottingham bill that includes two other Irish-rooted fighters, Bulwell's Midland Area cruiserweight champion Shane McPhilbin and Sneinton's Terry Maughan, as well as St Ann's welterweight Nathan McIntosh and Gedling first-timer Leigh Wood.

And the British Masters 12st champion, who's been sparring with talented if erratic Brummie Tony Randell for this, can probably look forward to a crack at the vacant Midland Area light-heavyweight title if he comes through unscathed this week and, longer term, tilts at the English and Irish straps.

Finnegan has offered to meet Reagan Denton, the Sheffield scrapper with only one loss in 14, over ten but has yet to hear anything from him or his manager Glyn Rhodes. But it's the increasing talk of an all-Midlands showdown with dangerous returning Nottingham puncher Rod Anderton that gets the juices flowing for the Errol Johnson-trained former Midland ABA champion.

"We've been making offers at Denton's people but nothing seems to be coming from it and i don't think he wants it," admitted the former Irish title challenger, 14-6-3. "But the Anderton fight is the one i really want.

"It should have happened about four or five years ago but, for whatever reason, it never has. That's boxing. He hasn't boxed for a bit [since he was swatted aside in a round by Danny McIntosh for the English title in 2008] but he's won a title before [the International Masters] and it's a natural, either in Burton or Nottingham, that would sell a bucket-load of tickets.

"Rod has also challenged for the English belt and i want to as well, so the winner could be in a position to get that. If and when he fights again, and if he can recapture his old form [11 wins and a draw in 15, three quickly], then it's a contest that would capture the imagination in the East Midlands and could do us both a lot of favours.

"The time is right and i've been hitting harder in the gym for my last couple and think that, stepping up a few pounds to 12st 7lbs and boxing over a ten or 12-round distance, i would take someone apart. I'm looking at the bigger fights with better lads now, to progress me further up the ladder and getting myself in the title mix.

"That's not to say i'm looking past Tucker," reasoned the 31-year-old, who boxed beautifully to tame heavy-handed Derby destroyer Elvis Dube over six last time out.

"If i'm honest I've not seen too much of him or know that much about him, aside from he's tough and only a couple have stopped him. But i've taken this to keep busy and get a few more rounds under my belt, which he'll give me, i'm sure.

"There are some huge nights around the corner and i can't afford to mess that up on Friday."

Image courtesy of Gavin Burrows.

Quigg dethrones Booth the brave

Many in the trade had favoured Scott Quigg to be too big, too strong and too fresh for veteran British super-bantamweight champion Jason Booth when they met at Reebok Stadium on Saturday night [October 22].

And so it proved as the unbeaten but relatively untested Bury boxer - on a good-value Maloney Promotions card - forced the smooth-boxing Nottingham stylist, a former IBF world title challenger two weeks shy of his 34th birthday, to be retired by his corner at the end of the seventh.

Though Jason hadn't been off his feet and hadn't been in any great deal of trouble at the time of the ending, the challenger's hooks to the body and neatly-threaded right uppercuts had begun to find the mark with more and more regularity. There was only going to be one winner.

In truth, the title looked as though it would be changing hands from as early as the third.

At 33 and with 44 tough and testing professional bouts [36 wins, 15 early] under his 8st 10lbs belt, the Strelley-based former IBO, two-time British and three-time Commonwealth champion (8st 8 1/2lbs) is a fighter on the decline. But that doesn't mean he's no longer capable of competing with the top men in Britain. 

And he took the opening round for me - using his feet well to glide in and out of range and score with an accurate right hand. Trained in his home city by Tony Harris, Booth also made aggressive former kick-boxer Quigg (8st 9 1/2lbs) miss fairly wildly on several occasions, with his gloves taking anything that went close to landing on his well-worn face.

But Scott began to find his range as the bout went though rounds two and three, forcing the champion to box exclusively on the retreat and to take thumping rights to the ribs and quick-handed right uppercuts upstairs. Though several were taken on the gloves by the well-schooled four-time European title challenger, enough were finding the target to cause concern.

By the fifth, and now a 33/1-on favourite, Ricky Hatton-promoted Quigg showed that his youth [ten years younger], size [four-inch height advantage] and freshness [no wear-and-tear in a four-year paid career; Booth has been a pro since 1996 [at flyweight] and with well-documented outside-the-ring troubles] was too much for the willy experience of the canny little warrior.

Jason worked entirely off the back foot as the seventh started, shipping more heavy-looking right-handed uppercuts flush in the face. His defence was gradually being prized apart by the accurate blows and, as Booth walked back to his corner at the end of the seventh, his team - including promoter Frank Maloney and manager Jimmy Gill - decided enough was enough.

In his ringside interview afterwards with Sky Sports, Quigg said: "To win this [the British title] means a lot to me, as does sharing the ring and beating a great fighter and warrior like Jason. To do that to him shows i'm improving," added the Joe Gallagher-trained 23-year-old, now 23-0 (16).

Booth hinted he'll keep himself in shape and may even drop down to bantamweight, where he won the Commonwealth title in 2007. Whatever he decides to do next, be it carrying on or retirement, the former Radford Boys ABC East Midlander can be proud of a career that almost took him to a recognised version of a world title.

For the record, Richie Davies was the third man and Terry O'Connor, Ian-John Lewis and Steve Gray the three scoring judges who were rendered irrelevant by Quigg's clinical display of punching.

Norton controversially loses British crown

Rob Norton's three-year stranglehold on the British cruiserweight title is over.

The Stourbridge southpaw [pictured with both the British and Commonwealth straps] controversially surrendered his treasured title on a split 12-round decision to underdog Leon Williams, last night [October 21] on a Queensbury Promotions card at York Hall, Bethnal Green, after seemingly putting eight of the first nine sessions in the bag.

But remarkably, only one of the the three scoring judges [Northampton's John Keane, who marked 115-114] had the champion retaining his title, with Richie Davies [116-114] and Ian-John Lewis [116-113] handing the victory to the Londoner.

For the record, i had the West Midlander a handy 117-111 victor [or 9-3 in rounds] and i wasn't alone. Steve Bunce, in the studio for BoxNation, had Norton winning ten of the 12, and ex-pros Peter Buckley and Sam Horton, along with current paid fighters James Flinn and Paul Butlin, all had the now-ex-champion a comfortable winner.

Norton would have won the Lonsdale Belt outright had he done anything but lost and the reality is he isn't likely to be given a rematch, with the 36-minute scrap only fizzling into life in the final nine minutes. But this is nothing new. The 39-year-old did what he's always been known for: waiting for his opponent to walk onto his portside-leading, counter-punching blows. That Williams wouldn't do that for the majority of the bout is no fault of Rob's.

And the first 18 minutes followed a pattern of Norton, loose, relaxed and with a customary non-existent, wide-armed defence, circling the peripheries of the ring waiting for the 27-year-old Southern Area boss, who was nervous, stiff and hesitant to let his hands go, to fulfill his pre-fight boasts to "put it on him".

Williams' nose was bloodied early by the flicking lead of the Errol Johnson-trained Black Countryman, now 32-5-2 (19), and his rare attacks were either slipped on the ropes or nonchalantly parried away. But he let his hands go more in the seventh, rattling in left-rights as he managed to close the gap, and his legion of supporters found their voices when another right hand slammed home moments later.

Yet normal service seemed to have been resumed in rounds eight and nine, with Norton pot-shoting a more-lively challenger who finally seemed to have found his self-belief. And that was re-enforced in the final three stanzas. Williams teed-off in the tenth - the former English and Commonwealth boss content to try and roll with the punches on the ropes - and though i thought the champion edged the eleventh, the final session undoubtedly belonged to the then-challenger.

Though Leon, now with nine wins in 12 outings [four early], reiterated he was now the British champion in the ringside interview afterwards, it wasn't a speech from a fighter who truly believed he'd took the title. But this could be the making of the hard-hitting Johnny Eames-trained Streatham boxer. He's rebounded from early career defeats to Hastings Rasani and, in February, a two-round knockout defeat by Rik Turba, and is likely to meet the winner of Tony Conquest and Toks Owoh in 2012.

For Norton, however, this could be the end. Well-known for long spells of inactivity - he was coming off 21 months without a fight entering - it's difficult to see him getting many offers of fights and even more difficult seeing him getting a rematch the majority would agree he deserves.

Norton: Williams' mouth will be his downfall

British champion Rob Norton has warned challenger Leon Williams that his talk will only increase the distance he'll have to fall after defeat.

The mallet-handed Stourbridge cruiserweight, having his first outing since January 2010, can earn the Lonsdale Belt outright if he can successfully make the third defence of his crown, against capital-based puncher Williams, tonight [Friday, October 21] at York Hall. 

BoxNation televise the Queensbury Promotions-promoted 12-rounder.

Williams, 12 years younger at 27 and with a patchy paid ledger of 8-3 (4), is hungry, a banger, an improved all-round boxer since a link-up with respected Johnny Eames and, possibly more importantly, hungry.

He's had seven fights in the time Norton's been inactive [including an early stoppage win over Nottingham's ex-Midland Area champion Tyrone Wright] and though on a two-fight winning streak - both quickly - the Southern Area boss has been shut-out by dangerous Brummie journeyman Hastings Rasani, lost in Prizefighter to Jon Lewis Dickinson and knocked out in two by heavy-handed if crude Rik Turba earlier this year.

So he's taking a huge step up against an awkward former English, Commonwealth and WBU champion with only four defeats in 38 [32 wins, 19 early, and two draws] paid contests.

Though inactive for 21 months, Rob always keeps himself in decent nick and finally won the sought-after British title in 2008, outpointing Mickey Steeds over 12 neat-boxing rounds. He added the Commonwealth strap to his collection with a points nod over David Dolan in an up-and-down war in 2009 - holding onto both belts with a draw in the rematch 11 months later.

On top of that experience, his southpaw-leading stance is effective, if awkward and not easy to watch at times, and he swings through the heavy left back hand from around his waist. Only well-schooled men like Mark Hobson, Seb Rothmann [who stopped him], Darren Corbett [controversially] and Enad Licina have been able to solve the conundrum.

Yet the bullet-domed West Midlander has endured a career that's been blighted by long absences from the ring and there's a school of thought that if he can turn away the challenge of the Streatham boxer, who has claimed the champion is "over the hill, ready for the taking and will be crushed", then the 39-year-old will call it a day.

"He's talked a lot and that's something he's been doing a lot since he turned pro," said Dudley-born Norton, who has sparred with heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko in the past, ahead of his 36-minute scrap in Bethnal Green.

"But at the end of the day talk is just that - talk. I don't disrespect anyone but he hasn't backed a lot of what he's said up and not beaten anyone of note, really.

"I'll have too much for him," added the Black Country banger.

At yesterday's weigh-in Norton tipped the scales at 14st 3lbs; Williams 13st 3lbs.

Ton up for solid scrapper Scriven

Mansfield warrior Matt Scriven is the latest Midlands-based fighter to clock up a hundred professional fights.

The durable and well-thought-of 38-year-old, who lost over six to first-timer Sammy McSpadden over six in Cleethorpes on Friday [October 14] to reach the milestone, joins other centurions Delroy Spencer, Billy Smith and Kristian Laight on the active paid circuit.

And it's a well-deserved reward for a hard-nosed former soldier who always comes to fight, usually leaving the ring bloody-nosed and bruised, and had enough talent to hold the Midland Area and British Masters light-middleweight titles in 2003.

He tamed Worcester's Leroy Williamson over ten rounds for the brace of belts at the now-mothballed Victoria Leisure Centre, Nottingham, in the March of that year and followed it up with a successful Masters defence over 30 minutes against Cumbrian Wayne Shepherd at the same venue three months later.

Those were probably his greatest nights. But despite having only 14 wins [two inside] and a draw [earlier this year against seven-bout unbeaten Bobby Gladman] in his 100 contests, he has pulled off the odd upset and is rarely halted before the final bell, with several of his early defeats arriving via cuts.

Most recently, on the undercard of Carl Froch's WBC world title defence against Andre Dirrell at the Capital FM Arena in 2009, the canny and willing East Midlander hammered touted Nottingham debutant Terry Maughan to a two-round stoppage defeat to show that, when in the mood, he's capable. 

Scriven, who also trains - leading Andy Bell to a British title - and promotes [under the Robin Hood Promotions banner] in Nottinghamshire, has met ex-Olympians, Area, English, British and Commonwealth champions along the way and even took recent world title challenger Matthew Hatton into the fourth round before losing on cuts. As ever, he complained bitterly and begged the referee to let him continue.

That's typical of the man. Happy 100, Matt.

Final curtain for Booth the brave?

Jason Booth knows defeat at the weekend will bring down the curtain on his stellar 15-year paid career.

The former IBF world title challenger from Nottingham makes, on a Frank Maloney-promoted card in Bolton on Saturday [October 22], the fifth defence of his British super-bantamweight title against touted Bury bomber Scott Quigg and is adamant his footwork and accurate punch-picking will prove too much for an untested young pretender.

And though the defending champion [pictured right with his Commonwealth belt] pushed classy Canadian Steve Molitor to a majority decision in a world title attempt 13 months ago, Jason is seen, for many, as the underdog going into the interesting-looking 12-rounder that pits worldly-wise experience against the wide-eyed exuberance of youth.

Yet many in the trade are predicting that it's one fight too many for the likeable Tony Harris-trained East Midlander, who has won British titles at two weights, Commonwealth belts at three weights and also held the IBO strap at super-flyweight.

But the Strelley-based stylist struggled past Jamie Arthur in February [scraping a split 12-round nod] and, after a bright start, suffered his first inside-the-distance defeat last time out - knocked out in ten by Madrid's heavy-handed but wild and crude Kiko Martinez for the vacant European title in the Spanish capital in May. 

Though there's no shame in folding against a man who blew away Dublin's future WBA world super-bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne inside 90 brutal seconds in 2007, it's an indication that the 33-year-old four-time Continental title challenger's career is drawing to a close.

And against Quigg, 23 and unbeaten in 22 [15 quickly], he meets an equally hard-punching boxer who's faster and far less predictable than the three-time European monarch from Spain. Scott, a former kick-boxer who has tidy skills, is four inches taller and now trained by Joe Gallagher, likes a fight but has a free-flowing boxing style and his well-timed body attacks have hastily accounted for some durable foes. 

So if both men box to the peak of their abilities then it's hard to see this Sky Sports-televised fight being anything less than a cracker, be it a purists battle [in the early stages] or a nose-to-nose punch-up [which is more likely to happen as the bout progresses the latter stages of the 36 minutes].

"I'm more than ready for this," smooth-boxing Booth, whose skills have landed him 36 wins [15 via stoppage] in 43 outings, confidently boasted.

"He's coming to take my title away from me, has the advantage of boxing a few miles up the road from his house and he doesn't know what it's like to lose yet. But no-one is invincible and I've done the training, worked hard, and i can lead anyone a merry dance when i'm on top form. So may the best man win."

Manager Jimmy Gill added: "Jason is up for this one. He knows that his career has to come to an end at sometime and knows what's at stake. But he's fit, willing and capable of the win, and Saturday will showcase exactly what he has left."