Napa retains after Haskins Injury by Oliver Fennell Sep 22nd 2007

There were shades of Bradley Pryce-Anthony Small as, for the second time in as many months, experience and tenacity told over style and potential. This time it was British bantamweight title challenger Lee Haskins who learned the hard way how it takes more than a whirlwind start to unseat a time-honoured champion. Defending the Lonsdale honours was popular veteran Ian Napa, a diminutive “Cinderella Man” who claimed a major championship at the fifth attempt by outpointing previous conqueror Jason Booth in July. Having taken such a hard route to the top of the domestic tree, Napa didn't figure to be shaken off easily, and so it proved. Haskins swaggered into the typically humid York Hall in Bethnal Green and his self-confidence looked well-founded in the early going as he bossed Napa for almost the entirety of the fight's opening quarter. But Napa did to Haskins what Pryce did to Small, weathering the early onslaught before taking over as his unseasoned opponent tired. The result was the same as Pryce-Small, too – a seventh-round stoppage for the defending champion. And while Haskins' defeat was officially due to an injured right arm which he hadn't used at all for more than two full rounds, a more legitimate stoppage was looking increasingly likely anyway. This defence must have been as satisfying for Napa as the night he won the title, since it gave him his first ever inside-schedule victory. Observers wondered first of all if Napa would ever claim a major title, and then if he would ever stop an opponent. Now both boxes have been ticked, 5'1” Napa's manager Frank Maloney is talking of world titles. That's pretty big talk for Britain's smallest pro. There was a lot to like about Napa's performance here – speed, reflexes, grit, determination, stamina, workrate and that improving power – but let's not get carried away. His record is a patchy 15-6 (1) and it was only six months ago he was comfortably outscored by Simone Maludrottu in a previous world class excursion. As heartwarming as Napa's current renaissance run is, there is still work to be done getting him ranked for a world title, let alone winning one. But these are considerations for the future. Right now, Napa can enjoy the glow of a fine night's work. Not that it looked like being so early on. Haskins bossed the first three rounds so completely, it looked a case of when rather than if the title would change hands. Obviously inspired by Naseem Hamed's style, 23-year-old Haskins kept his arms low and fired hard jabs and uppercuts from wildly unorthodox angles, slipped punches by moving his waist, and skipped in and out of range so quickly, Napa barely had enough time to regroup, let alone fire back. It looked a lost cause. A smiling Haskins wouldn't let his man in, and Napa's no pressure fighter. From outside, he was too small to outbox the 5'5” Bristolian, and the occasional singles he did land did not carry enough pop to turn things around on their own. The world title talk looked ridiculous. But in round four, the momentum began to change. It seemed at the time Haskins was staying put to seek the stoppage, but it was actually evidence of his dipping stamina. He traded hard with the champion and, while he won another round, it wasn't a wise strategy for a potentially long fight, and fighting in close was suiting Napa better. Napa took over completely in round five and never looked back. Haskins' zip was gone and he stood flat-footed, allowing “Dappa” to tee off with dazzling combinations, some of which carried spite which has previously been absent. Napa finished the round in total control, landing his right hand “power” shot – such as it is – to have Haskins in disarray, and easily evading whatever was coming his way. A never-before heard-of Napa stoppage seemed imminent, but rounds six and seven were slightly more pedestrian as it became obvious Haskins was no longer using his right hand. He jabbed and moved, but the punches were without any real conviction. Not only was Haskins injured, he was dog-tired too, and would occasionally stand stock-still or lay on the ropes, where Napa would unload on him. There was no conceivable way back for Haskins, and it came as no surprise when his retirement was announced before the start of the eighth. Haskins looked a prodigious talent on his way up but has now been soundly defeated twice, Tshifhiwa Munyai having thrashed him in six last year. He still has a good deal of potential, but an obvious stamina problem needs to be addressed. Napa, 29, has no such problem, and is improving at an advanced age for a lower-weights fighter. I do think world titles are beyond him, but then again this belt once seemed out of reach too.

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