'Fire' Fehintola burned by Johanneson by Paul Concannon Nov 4th 2006

The old boxing axiom says it's harder to retain a title than to win one, but Carl Johanneson passed his first test as champion with flying colours, making a successful first defence of the British super-featherweight title with a tense, exciting sixth-round stoppage of Bradford's previously unbeaten ‘Fire' Femi Fehintola.  The atmosphere for the SKY televised, all Yorkshire showdown was predictably electric. Opposing fans were in friendly but boisterous form during the introductions and ring walks. Both men remained calm and focussed during referee Howard Foster's instructions, and both quickly settled into a rhythm once the fight was underway. Each worked behind stiff left jabs early, with the challenger, who weighed bang on the super-featherweight limit of 9 stone 4lbs, looking to use the ring perimeter, while the champion gradually closed in. A stinging right from the challenger countered a thumping Johanneson jab before the champion unleashed a left hook, right cross combination followed by a barrage to the body. Fehintola landed another left hook just before the round's end, but ominously, the champion, who weighed 9 stone 3lbs & 2oz, didn't blink and edged a close first round. Johanneson began the second with a wild right that sailed harmlessly over-head, but quickly went to the body, only to absorb a sharp Fehintola left hook. The pattern of the fight was set, Johanneson moving forward in his methodical, aggressive manner, gradually chipping away at the flighty, quick-handed Bradford man. Jabs were exchanged, and each had their moments, Femi nailing the champion with a cracking right uppercut only to walk into a heavy right, before bravely hitting back to earn a share of the round. The third began badly for the champion; a right nailed him after he with missed with a sweeping left hook. The Bradford man's supporters received a further boost as swift punches began to rattle through Johanneson's defence. The champion delivered swift penance in the form of a thumping left hook, dropping the challenger for a mandatory eight count. Fehintola did his best to clinch, but moments later found himself on the deck for a second time, this time courtesy of a left to the body. Referee Foster applied the mandatory count, while the challenger protested he had been hit by a low blow. The champion had made his first major statement; with the arena in uproar, he glared coldly at Fehintola after the bell. Johanneson began the fourth looking to press home his advantage. In what would prove to be one of the rounds of the fight, he absorbed sharp counters in order to land his own heavier punches. Fehintola showed his mettle by hitting back through all three minutes, but was again edged out by the Leeds fighter's heavier artillery. Johanneson had clearly begun to enjoy himself by the fifth. He matched the challenger jab for jab before scoring a third knockdown with a right cross to the head. Fehintola bravely survived, even catching the champion with another flurry before the round's end.  A big Fehintola attack at the start of the sixth, which produced little more than a shrug from the champion, would prove to be Fehintola's last hurrah. A big Johanneson right hand, left hook dropped the challenger for a fourth time, before a huge flurry forced a timely referee's stoppage to end the Bradford man's valiant challenge. The official time was one minute, twenty-five seconds of round six. A rare all West Yorkshire title showdown had lived up to it's billing and proved a more than satisfactory first defence for Johanneson – and what heart from Fehintola who emerged with great credit for a resilient challenge. A significant light-heavyweight six rounder on the bill saw Brian Magee bounce back from his knockout defeat to Carl Froch with a solid, 6 x 3 decision over Sheffield's dangerous Paul David.  The night got off to uneasy start for the Belfast southpaw, as the confident, talented David, who weighed 12 stone 9.5 lbs, jabbed away to the head and chest, before landing a terrific right hand that sent Magee's head back. Moments later the same punch landed, and one chopping left from Magee, who weighed 12 stone 12lbs, moments later did little to take the play away from the Sheffield fighter. Cleary unhappy with how the action was flowing, Vann gave both men a stern talking too before the bell, at which point David eye-balled the Belfast man in a, ‘How did you like that?' gesture. The puzzle continued in round two, with David remaining elusive while looking to land his big right hand. Magee again struggled to find the range, though did land another of his chopping left hands. It had been a quieter round for David, who showboated and posed too much, allowing Magee a share of the round on my card.  Magee started the third quickly, launching himself at David seconds after the bell, connecting with a fast volley of straight shots to the head, and fighting a purposeful three minutes, landing lefts and easily handling the occasional right hand clip that came his way.  The fourth saw the greater experience of the Belfast southpaw come into play, marching in behind a high guard, he dropped the Sheffield fighter with a solid left hand, following up with another volley as David bounced back up, prior to Vann's mandatory eight count. David survived the round well enough, but absorbed several more Magee left hands for his trouble. From this point, it was nearly all Magee, as he attacked steadily, landing jabs and right hands to dominate the fifth round. A David right briefly had him unsteady in the last, but the Irishman largely dominated the session, with the underdog finishing up with nasty looking cut over his right eye.  Vann scored a thoroughly absorbing bout 58-56, and while David can come again, Magee, who fought with an old pro's wisdom, will be glad to have gotten this one out of the way. Undercard results: Gary Woolcombe W DSQ Alex Stoda An interesting test for Bexley Heath's light-middleweight prospect ends in disappointing fashion when Stoda (10 stone 13 lbs) is thrown out for blatant use of the head. Up until the end, Stoda acquits himself well, landing jabs and timing the prospect with occasional right hand counters. Woolcombe edges the first two, but takes a little time to get going, finally opening up in the third, replying to a heavy Stoda right cross with an even better one of his own. Woolcombe (11 stone 3lbs) starts the fourth with a useful over hand right before dropping the Wisbech visitor with a borderline low blow. Stoda protests all the way through the count that he has been hit low, and retaliates with blantant use of the head, cutting Woolcombe on the hairline, bringing about the instant disqualification from referee Michael Alexander.  Jason Booth W PTS 6 Abdul Mougharbel In his first bout in nearly two years, Booth, who is (presumably inaccurately) announced as weighing 9 stone 10.5 lbs, looks sharp and clinical defeating Huddersfield – based Syrian Mougharbel, who himself is announced at weighing in a 9 stone 7 and three quarters. Jason boxes well in every round; landing thumping body punches and sizzling left hook counters as granite-jawed Mougharbel wades in. The two warriors trade leather in round six and the Nottingham man can be pleased with his night's work, collecting a 59-55 decision while shaking off the ring rust. Tony Salem W RSF 2 Csaba Andras The penultimate bout of the evening sees Finchley light-heavyweight debutant Salem blast out the willing and game Andras in the second round. Thumping right jabs followed by sizzling left crosses from the James Oyebola managed southpaw rock Andras repeatedly in the first, before a final combination seals an impressive debut after 33 seconds of the second round. Gavin Smith D PTS 6 Gatis Skuja Bradford prospect Smith, a former quality amateur, seems a shade unfortunate to have to settle for a share of the spoils in a bruising final bout of the night. Smith, as is sometimes the case, makes life difficult by abandoning his jab too early while looking to unload with his sharp, heavy punches.  Smith appears to win the first two rounds by virtue of his cleaner punching, but suffers a flash knockdown in round three from a Skuja right-left. Smith survives a ragged fourth round where he is bullied and jostled through all three minutes and shows heart and character in almost dropping Skuja in the fifth with a pinpoint combination, landing with pinpoint bombs through all three minutes. More of the same in the last until Skuja hits back with uppercuts, presumably earning himself a share of the round, and thus the fight on Mickey Vann's score card, which tallies at 57-57.  Gavin had been due to fight at 6.30, until a reshuffle saw him on well after 11.00 pm, which may go someway to explaining a somewhat uneven performance.  For the rest of the undercard, see 'Fewkes impresses against game Haywood' by Ian McNeilly. Pictures by Cliff Manning - www.kududesign.co.uk

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