My tip to lift honours at area fight awards
Owen Cooper…fight of the year? Pic: MSN Images/BCB Promotions
THE Midlands Boxing Board of Control awards ceremony – a celebration of this region’s fighting talent – has grown into something big. Something very big.
That’s largely down to Matt Harris, in the Midlands boxing council hotseat, and promoter Scott Murray who stages the annual ceremony at his Premier Suite premises, in Cannock.
The blood and bruises gongs for 2024 will be held at Scott’s venue on Sunday, February 9, and the afternoon is already close to being sold out. That’s a measure of how big the event has become, that underlines the current strength in depth in Midlands boxing.
Harris, who I first interviewed as a fresh faced super-bantam many, many years ago, and his team really have injected vibrancy into the local scene.
They’ve insisted on Midlands champs remaining active. Long gone are the days when area titles could be mothballed for a year or more: fighters either defend or relinquish.
And the Board has made some mouthwatering title match-ups this year.
The tickets may be shifting fast, but sponsors for the red carpet event are still being sought and those who buy into it are buying into one of the biggest regional pro boxing events of the year.
If any business wants to be a part of it, ring Matt on 07805 103279.
Matt said: “When Scott first got involved, we were looking to sell 100 to 125 tickets and it’s just taken off.
“By the end of this year, we will have had 13 or 14 area title fights, which is a record. It’s been a good year because everyone has worked together.
“Jamie Reynolds has been a big help with delivering those area titles.”
I’ve been given a glance of the preliminary list of title nominees, but it won’t be finalised and made public until the second week of December.
This year – because of the quality on show – it seems harder than ever to select winners. I always try to second guess the result and have drawn-up my own list of honours, but would welcome views and tips from fans and those inside the industry.
Here are the ones I believe are no brainers.
Fight of the year. Surely it has to be former British welterweight champ Ekow Essuman’s epic victory over Owen Cooper on July 20 at Resorts World?
Come on, it had everything. Come on, Board of Control, it had all the drama required. With the English and WBO version of the European title on the line, Essuman literally bounced off the canvas when decked in the ninth. He was gone.
It appeared all over, yet Ekow somehow blazed back and stopped Worcester’s Cooper in the final round. In its own way, the contest was a mini Billy Conn and Joe Louis.
Please, Board of Control, don’t say there was a better contest because there wasn’t.
Fighter of the year. Shabaz Masoud has to be nailed on, surely? Now unbeaten in 14, the Stoke super-bantam faced world champ Liam Davies as an underdog only weeks ago and produced a master-class. The man oozed quality.
For me, that one performance is enough to earn him the title. But if Wolverhampton’s Conah Walker stops Geordie knockout artist Lewis Ritson next weekend, it’s a toss-up between the two.
Prospect of the year. Tough one, but on the basis Ibraheem “Spider” Sulaimaan was listed last year and lost and Bradley Goldsmith is beyond prospect status, I’ll go for Walsall super-fly Hamzah Uddin who fights on next weekend’s major Resorts World bill.
The 21-year-old may have had only two pro outings, but he has the big promotional backing, the amateur pedigree and punch to achieve big things in a division where big things can be achieved quickly.
Nothing official, but I understand the Board’s preliminary list also includes Nuneaton’s Minaaz Gurung, Zach Evans and Dylan Clift.
Light-middleweight Evans is, in my opinion, the best of that trilogy. He’s unbeaten in seven and looks a very classy operator. For the Board, It’s a two horse race – Uddin or Evans.
And what about Bloxwich light-middle Ryan Woolridge, unbeaten in 11? The southpaw is yet to face real iron, but will be in the title mix next year.
Kirsty Bavington (left)…must get a gong. Pic: MSN Images/BCB
Female fighter of the year. I can’t see the Board looking beyond Pensnett’s Kirstie Bavington, to be honest. Frankly, that’s a surprise.
I watched “Bavvo” being outpointed by Canadian Kandi Wyatt last year and felt she looked one paced and predictable.
She tried the same thing over and over again against Olympian Lauren Price, even though it wasn’t working, and lost the British welterweight title fight by landslide decision. It was a disappointing performance. Price was levels above.
Yet the 32-year-old PE teacher, who seemed to be nearing the end, bounced back in October with a sensational win over favourite Maurine Beauchamp in Laval, France.
That victory earned Kirstie a second stint as European champion. That’s a testament to her belief, desire and old fashioned bottle. I underestimated the woman’s fighting heart. I got it wrong about Bavington.
She deserves to be honoured.
That’s my pick, what is yours? I’m sure I’ve missed favourite fighters worthy of inclusion – please let me know.