Willetts notches-up his second pro win

Willetts poses for the cameras after beating Illias Leokaftos

IF Brad Willetts suffered from vertigo, he could’ve been in serious trouble against Illias Leokaftos at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, yesterday.

On a number of occasions Dudley’s Brad was lifted clean off his feet and by the fourth round shook his head in a show of exasperation.

Nevertheless, Willetts (10st 8lbs) built on a very good debut in September by taking a landslide 40-36 win.

He also learned journeymen can provide apprentice fighters with very frustrating nights. Leokaftos, from Greece but based in Surrey, circled, smothered and in the second received a ticking off from referee Peter McCormack for ducking too low.

Willetts, a 24-year-old former white collar fighter, didn’t lose his head, kept to his boxing and had way too much ambition for a man who has now lost six on the spin.

He looks a good lad and has been well schooled by dad Steve and Lez Sharratt at Cradley Heath’s Golden Gloves gym.

Brad also appears to sell a good number of tickets, with “Team Willetts” sweat tops being sported in abundance inside the Holiday Inn. He received the biggest roar of the night.

Willetts worked behind a stiff jab in the first and Leokaftos (10st 12lb) certainly felt a heavy left to the body.

There were ironic cheers after Leokaftos spectacularly missed with a swing in the second and he spent most of the session circling warily.

A neat right uppercut and left hook further pushed Leokaftos into defensive mode before Willetts finished with a flourish.

Boxers such as Leokaftos can make newcomers look bad, make them lose their heads. Brad didn’t allow that to happen.