Day six at the XIV AIBA World Championships by Tom Walker Oct 29th 2007

48kg Light Flyweight Mo Nasir (WAL) lost to Harry Tanamor (PHI) 5:24 Nasir (St Joseph's ABC, Newport, Wales) walked out for the first round over confident, looking to single punch against southpaw, Harry Tanamor (Philippines) - this was never going to work. Tanamor was ready for Mo and circled right, keeping the Welshman at arms length, scoring with single punches and moving off, always keeping plenty of canvas between himself and his opponent. Nasir never came to terms with the tactics of the Filipino and was behind from start to finish 1:6, 3:13, 5:19, finally losing 5:24. There will be better days for the talented Welshman who showed none of his boxing gifts on this the second biggest stage in amateur boxing. Holding back a tear, a dejected Mo traipsed off to the dressing room, he had been out thought and out generaled. “Disappointed,” was the only quote possible from Mo and his team of Wales Head Coach, Tony Williams and assistant coach Colin Jones 48kg Light Flyweight Darran Langley (ENG) lost to Zviad Khaduri (GEO) 18:21 Darran Langley, Hollington ABC, Camberwell, London had a slow, 'let's have a look at him', first round against Georgia's, Zviad Khaduri and found himself 2:7 down, a deficit he was never to overcome. Rounds two and three were tit for tat, with scores amounting to 9:14, 15:20. Langley continued to allow Khaduri to use his strong suit, which was coming forward and making the contest. When Darran attacked he had success, but this was too infrequent. Come the last round, the punching postman from Croydon, believed in his offense and almost turned the contest on its head, narrowly missing out by a score of 18:21. Langley, a double Commonwealth silver medal winner, is an experienced campaigner, he knows he blew an opportunity, the annoyance showed on his and the England trainers' faces as they left the ring. 60kg Lightweight Frankie Gavin (ENG) bt Merey Akshalov (KAZ) 18:9 22-year-old Gavin from Yardley, Birmingham (Hall Green ABC), demonstrated his world class credentials by outmanoeuvring and out boxing, Merey Akshalov, of Kazakhstan, 20-9. This win takes Gavin into an Olympic qualifying contest next Wednesday afternoon. Frank's opponent will be fellow tricky southpaw, Ramal Amanov, of Azerbaijan. Gavin circumnavigated ring A at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago to confuse, frustrate and outbox his Kazak opponent. Scores ticked up each round as “Fun-Time” Frankie unravelled his pursuing opponent. First round 3:2, Second round 6:5, third round 14:6 before finally running out as a decisive 20:9 winner. Rumour has it that Frank's mobile performance has also won him a middle distance, athletic track scholarship here at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Gavin reflected, “I underestimated how difficult, strong and awkward he is. I had to retain intense concentration throughout the bout.” Terry Edwards, Head Coach GB, said, “Frank applied the correct tactics against a problem opponent. Great credit must go to Frank for the way he stuck to the game plan, despite the difficult style of his opponent.” 81kg Light Heavyweight Tony Jeffries (ENG) bt Chris Downs (USA) 18:9 22-year-old Jeffries (Sunderland ABC) entered the ring a serious second favourite against USA Team Captain, highly fancied 32-year-old, USA light heavyweight, Chris Downs. T his contest was a triumph for the belief Tony Jeffries has in his own ability and of the tactics hatched by GB Head Coach Terry Edwards and his team. Tony started the bout with confidence boxing behind a solid old-fashioned straight left, then switched to the tactic of boxing counter-clockwise, moving to his right outside the left hand of the tall rangy Downs. Throwing his jab as he stepped right, then crossing his right hand over Downs' left shoulder bemused the American. Downs was left to follow Tony round the ring only to be met by the same tactics interspersed with the odd straight left when Tony moved back clockwise. Jeffries added further variety to his repertoire by catching the increasingly desperate American with crashing right uppercut leads. All in all a thoroughly convincing performance from the heavy-handed Sunderland man that initially stunned a shocked American crowd into silence, delighting the many eastern Europeans in the crowd and by the end of the four rounds even lead to appreciative applause from the partisan Americans. (R1 2:1, R2 8:4, R3 14:8) Tony Jeffries gushed, “Really good, brilliant, confident, I'm really confident.” Terry Edwards observed, “The boy listens. He has belief. Did exactly as he was told, and brought home a tremendous win for the team.” Tony now faces super elusive, Belarussian, Ramazan Magomedov, in the last 16 for a spot in the quarterfinals and the all-important automatic Olympic qualification. Sunday 28th 48kg Mo Nasir (WAL) lost to Harry Tanamor (PHI) 5:24 48kg Darran Langley (ENG) lost to Zviad Khaduri (GEO) 18:21 60kg Frankie Gavin (ENG) bt Merey Akshalov (KAZ) 18:9 81kg Tony Jeffries (ENG) bt Chris Downs (USA) 18:9 Monday 29th – Rest Day Tuesday 30th 54kg Joe Murray (ENG) v Bruno Julie (MRI) 64kg Bradley Saunders (ENG) v Javier Molina (USA) 91kg Stephen Simmons (SCO) v Milorad Gajovic (MNE) Wednesday 31st 60kg Frankie Gavin (ENG) v Ramal Amanov (AZE) 81kg Tony Jeffries (ENG) v Ramazan Magomedov (BLR) +91kg David Price (ENG) v Primislav Dimovski (MKD)

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