Spitko outlasts Wyatt in Brum battle by Tom Podmore Oct 9th 2007

Mansfield puncher Alex Spitko hadn't scored a win in his first three pro outings but last night (October 8) registered his third quick victory in as many bouts when he forced Torquay's iron-chinned Ali Wyatt to retire on his stool at the end of the fifth at Birmingham's Burlington Hotel. I had the give-and-take contest all-square at 48-48 when trainer Chris Sanigar pulled his purple-shorted charge out of the scheduled welterweight eight-twos. The incredibly tough South Devon banger, as you would expect, wanted to come out for the sixth. Wyatt, who has become a fan favourite in the Second City after two incredible wars with Coventry's Joe McCluskey at this city centre venue, had taken a bit of pasting in the fifth, however, and a compassionate Sanigar told his man no more. But Spitko had to overcome some crises of his own before chalking up professional win number three. He was badly hurt in the second and fourth rounds and seemed to be blowing hard after setting himself for power-shots throughout. However, the Nottinghamshire-based Latvian sucked it up and really came on strong in the fifth session – stiffening his opponents legs with crunching rights – which convinced Ali's trainer that enough was enough. After being matched with two amateur stars, ABA champ Brett Flournoy and Sam Webb, in his first two contests and then awkward Lee Noble in his third, Spitko has stopped undefeated Irishman Scott Jordan, touted Scot Willie Bilan and mallet-fisted Wyatt since. Former Midland Area and British Masters champion Matt Scriven has high hopes for his Eastern European charge, although admits he could have trouble getting him work due to his concusive power. Stocky Wyatt (10st 7lbs) stepped inside Alex's longer arms in the opening session, working away at the body before bringing up a left hook to the head as both set their feet for power from the off. Matt Scriven-trained Spitko knocked the Devon puncher off balance with a powerful left in the second, but was pegged back as hooks from Wyatt found the target with an increasing regularity as the round progressed. A short right uppercut on the inside hurt former Paignton ABC fighter Wyatt, who held former ABA champion Michael Grant to a draw in 2005, in the third. Spitko had no interest in jabbing his way and lashed his shorter foe with long rights and hooks. Ali had a better fourth, however. He varied the attack (hitting the body and head, then head and body) and a counter left to the body and right to head off the ropes had Alex (10st 7lbs) looking to hold tightly. The Torbay welterweight suffered a torrid two minutes in the fifth, being speared with a long rights from ‘Pit Bull' throughout. Alex, sensing Wyatt, now 3-3-2 (3), was tiring fast, marched forward and had his opponent in serious trouble after planting a full-bloodied right on his jaw. Then came the retirement. Birmingham referee Terry O'Connor (the official for all three fights) accepted without hesitation. Spitko, now 3-3 (3), looks a dangerous addition to the welterweight scene after having his first three paid outings up at eleven stone. Walsall's Matty ‘Too Hot' Hough opened the show with a 59-56 decision over Wales' recently-crowned British Masters light-heavyweight boss Mark Phillips on this Pat Cowdell-promoted dinner show that had Birmingham's new British middleweight champion Wayne Elcock amongst the diners. Even though the right man got the nod, I had the hard-fought six-twos a tad closer at 58-57. Ambitious Black Country stylist Matty had, by the way, outpointed this man 40-37 in his second pro outing at the Dudley Town Hall in April 2005. St Clare's Phillips, 32, recently upset Burton's Jonjo Finnegan, Hough's stablemate, for the vacant Masters title in Burton and showed the same ambition in the early going to rattle lighter Hough with bodyshots and bloody his nose in the second. But Errol Johnson-trained Hough, after drawing the first and losing the next two on my scorecard, took over in the last three rounds with neat one-twos and right hands from the outside. As mentioned, Mark (12st 8lbs) got off to a good start, working the body with the same ferocity he did against Finnegan in Burton three weeks ago. Hough had some success in the last minute, however, with double jabs and follow-up rights. Hough, now with his nose bloodied, showed the better long-range skills in the second, but Phillips continued to charge forward, walked him down, and a right hand over the guard of the Walsall ticket-seller saw his legs dip and stiffen. Nick Hodges-trained Phillips, in pro contest 55, kept chipping away at the Midlander, reddening his face with jabs, spilling more plasma from his nose and then hooking away at the body with both fists. However, Hough (12st) had settled down and began to find his range in the fourth, tagging the aggressive Welsh dairy farmer with one-twos and a left-right followed by a peach of a left uppercut. The action became scrappy when it got close but Hough stepped back, got his jab off a split-second faster and hooked well of the ropes when Mark tried to maul his way in. The last two minutes were keenly-fought, with Hough getting the better of the exchanges and sending the Welshman's head snapping back with a perfectly-timed uppercut in the last 30 seconds. Hough, now 7-2 (1), is targeting a crack at the Midland Area super-middleweight title in the New Year. Another Walsall fighter, undefeated Midland Area lightweight champion Martin Gethin, had too much of everything for Alfreton's Darren Broomhall, forcing Mr O'Connor's intervention with one second left of the third in a scheduled light-welterweight six-twos. Matt Scriven-managed Broomhall, who made a return to competitive action in July after a two-year exile, had no answer to aggressive Martin's powerful shots to head and body and looked relieved when the referee stepped in. Broomhall (10st) had his nose bloodied, was cut and had also tasted the canvas earlier in the round. Talented Gethin completes a family double over the Derbyshire scrapper, 25, who was halted in five rounds by older brother Steve at the Heritage Hotel in Derby back in 2005. You got the impression from the opening attacks that Darren wouldn't hear the final bell. Errol Johnson-trained Martin exploded out of the blocks, drilling the taller, wiry East Midlander with fast-handed assaults to head and body. Gethin, 23, whose brother Darren holds the Midland Area title up at welterweight, doubled hooks to head and body in the second. Broomhall tried to use the ring but was forced to cover for sustained periods – something he did well – on the ropes. Terry O'Connor kept a watchful eye on the Alfreton-based light-welterweight throughout the third as he copped a beating. He was subsequently decked in the corner by a left to the body and right to head and even though he beat the count, Gethin drove him across the ring and the third man stepped in at 1-59. Martin, now 10-0-1 (4), also won the British Masters title last December and is eager to add more belts to his collection.

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