Berry devastated by Euro title stoppage
Berry under pressure. Picture: GBM Sports/Leigh Dawney
NYALL Berry, considered by many the Midland’s brightest prospect, saw the blinding light that has shone on his career dimmed, short-circuited by the flashing fists of Francesco De Rosa.
In the 11th and by far biggest bout of his career, the Chelmsley Wood super-bantam was halted in eight rounds for the vacant IBF European title.
On GBM’s major Coventry Skydome show last night, the 24-year-old faced, for the first time, an opponent who refused to buckle under his trademark relentless pressure. A man who always looked to hit back and hit back hard with left hooks.
We discovered Berry, who had battered previous opponents is mortal.
De Rosa out-fought and outboxed Berry and won comprehensively, referee Michael Alexander stepping in after Nyall had twice been dropped by volleys of head punches.
With eight straight wins, five of them by stoppage, we knew De Rosa was good, we didn’t expect him to be that good.
The visitor was a revelation. Berry could not dent the 26-year-old from Salerno – and he gave everything he’d got, while De Rosa inflicted damage. Nyall was dropped in the fourth and handicapped by a swollen right.
Instead of the expected carnival following the unveiling of a new Birmingham champ, Berry’s fans were silenced by a crushing loss.
It’s a blow for Birmingham’s Eastside gym whose team have very high hopes for Nyall. In the aftermath, manager Jon Pegg said: “He’s heartbroken, but he’ll be back.”
Hours before the contest Berry told me excitedly: “I just cannot wait!” He left the ring in tears - seldom have I seen a boxer so devastated by defeat.
Neither has Pegg, which is saying something. And those raw emotions betrayed the pressure Nyall had placed on his shoulders prior to first bell, said the respected fight figure.
“You can turn the expectation of winning into a monster,” said Pegg. “In the dressing, Nyall felt his career was over, he had let everyone down…I have never seen a boxer so upset. This is his life.
“I’ve told him it’s not the end of the world. I’ve made a career out of making boxers better fighters after a loss. I don’t believe in negativity.
“His unbeaten record became a monster on his back. The good thing is that monster will never be there again.
“He has to put it behind him and not let it bother him the way it is bothering him.”
Switch-hitting De Rosa (8st 10lbs) gave a warning of what was to be served in the first, firing piston quick jabs and landing a counter left hook. He looked sharp, relaxed and rolled under Berry’s attacks.
Berry (8st 9lbs 4oz) bullied him back in the second and third, throwing hooks to the body from both hands and there were signs Nyall’s strength and determination could prevail down the stretch.
In the fourth, one left hook from De Rosa punched a hole in those hopes. Berry was under pressure, but managed to rock his tormentor with a right on the bell.
With his right eye swelling, Nyall showed bravery to force the action in the fifth. In the sixth, De Rosa, hands down, swayed under a wave of hooks.
Claims he’d damaged his right hand spread through the press section in the seventh, yet De Rosa let both gloves go to destroy Berry’s dreams in the eighth.
A left hook to the body clearly hurt Nyall and a burst of head shots dropped him against the ropes. He rose at seven, only to slump under a following storm of leather.
He courageously made it to his feet, but Mr Alexander correctly called a halt at one minute 32 seconds as De Rosa rained punches on his beaten foe.
Pegg was eager to pick out the positives following the loss. He added: “Now that weight has been taken off him, you’ll see Nyall excel.”