Belshaw wins in explosive fashion by Steve Wellings Jun 1st 2008

Heavyweight hope Scott Belshaw returned to winning ways in explosive fashion last night (Saturday), knocking out Edgar Kalnars in the fourth round. Topping the bill at the Shorts Recreation Centre on a Belfast Promotions card, Scott proved he has huge power as Kalnars hit the deck at 1:06 of the final session.   It was an acid test for the big Aghalee man after he had suffered a first professional defeat to unheralded Daniel Peret last time out. Moving Kalnars (16st 6llb) back with a solid jab and left hook, Belshaw (17st 2llb) made a point of thumping away at the body. Kalnars complained that some of the shots were hitting his kidneys and slumped into the corner mid-round to complain. Bemused ref Sean Russell hesitated before administering a count, hoping to get Kalnars active; it worked, and the big Latvian resumed the action.   The import showed more ambition in the second, scoring with a sporadic jab as Belshaw wound up the bombs. In the third, Scott appeared frustrated at not being able to dent Kalnars' resolve and loaded up with some wild hooks, most of which sailed off into the eager crowd.   It was all academic by the fourth, with both men wrestling in a clinch when suddenly Belshaw detonated a left hook that sent Kalnars down, his head bouncing off the canvas with a sickening thud. Ref Russell was busy moving Belshaw into a neutral corner but the doctors had already scaled the ring apron and were climbing in to administer oxygen to the stricken fighter. Belshaw, who now improves to 8-1 (7 KO's), was ecstatic and no doubt relieved as he celebrated with the ringside contingent.   “It was an important win, especially after losing my last fight,” Belshaw explained to me afterwards. “It took Sinan Samil Sam five rounds to knock him out and Oleg Platov, seven rounds. It only took me four!”   And what is next for the big man?   “I just want to keep active. The power is always there.”   In the chief supporting contest, rookie Bantamweight Luke Wilton will be glad to have got veteran Kemal Plavci out of the way. Wilton recently turned 20 and the experience will have done him no harm as he ran out a 39-38 winner on Paul McCullach's scorecard. I scored it the same but it could easily have gone the other way with Plavci arguably landing the harder blows, while Luke busied himself on the inside.   Throughout the contest, Plavci had success with the left hook to the body and overhand right as Wilton found it tough going. After Luke jabbed his way to the first session, Plavci took a share of the second on my card, landing right hands and trying to “old man” Wilton out of it.   The Serbian took the third with some slapping shots mixed with meaty blows, reddening Wilton's face, as father/trainer Alan looked on anxiously. It all rested on the final round and Luke pulled it out of the fire, overcoming some early right hands to outwork Plavci late on.   The fact that this was 30 year-old Plavci's 26th bout compared to Wilton's third summed things up and he will be all the better for the experience, as he acknowledged afterwards. “It wasn't my best performance but I'm always learning new things in the gym. He (Plavci) came to win which made a difference but my jab is improving, thanks to working with Stevie Quinn and he helps me keep the distance right.”   Plavci weighed in at 8st 7llb 6oz, with no weight announced for Wilton. Victoria Elliott was at ringside making her debut as time keeper and bell ringer, as announced by MC for the evening, Harry McGavock.   In what was perhaps fight of the night, improving Ballyclare welterweight Willie Thompson stepped up a division and out pointed dangerman Janis Chernouskis over six rounds. Referee Sean Russell totalled 59-56 which seemed about right, but Thompson (10st 12llb 2oz) was made to work for every minute by the plucky, high guarded Chernouskis.   Willie used his good jab and bodywork to snatch the opener as Chernouskis's eye swelled but he exerted constant pressure. Thompson sustained left eye damage and Janis had a nosebleed by the third as both went toe to toe. Chernouskis (10st 11llb 10oz) was worth a share of the third, even though he threw Thompson to the canvas and was warned, but Willie was slow to rise and looked shaken up.   Thompson went through the first major crisis of his pro career in the fourth when Chernouskis landing a volley of shots, many landing flush as Thompson was backed into a corner and the ref looked on. He pulled through and by the fifth was noticeably now moving Chernouskis backwards as the Latvian youngster tired. Thompson used the jab again in the final round and went hell for leather for the stoppage, but it ultimately never arrived.   In the second contest of the evening, Dublin's Patrick Hyland underlined his potential with a fifth round knockout of Crawley hardman Robin Deakin. From the opening stanza Hyland worked his jab and hunted the body, showing a fine array of skills as Deakin soaked up punishment and came back fighting, in a testament to his conditioning.   Sporting his Northern Ireland shirt as he did last time, Deakin even had his hair dyed in the red and white colours of Ulster. But despite good ringside support he was always second best as Hyland even turned portsider and winked at his own travelling party. In the fifth round –having lost them all thus far- Deakin finally caved in from the pressure and took a knee. With father Paddy and brother Eddie in the corner, Patrick upped the volume and a quality left hook to the midriff finally put Robin to nest.   He was all smiles at ringside later in the evening, chatting to Paddy Hyland, who told me Deakin was draining himself too much to make featherweight and should move up. Hyland moves onto 12-0 and the referee was David Irving.   In a scheduled 4x3's show opener, world kickboxing champion Gary Hamilton continued his foray in the fistic art with a first round knockout of Maltby's Andrew Ward.   28 year-old Hamilton is better than his now 2-6 record suggests and has done the ten-round distance with both James Gorman and Dafydd Carlin. Both men here weighed just over ten stone and Hamilton made a point of attacking the body early, with Ward getting hit low and rightly taking a few seconds to recover. Not long after, it was all over as Hamilton struck a fine left hand into the ribs and Ward was stretched on the canvas, writhing in agony. Oxygen and a stool aided his recovery, along with warm applause from the crowd when he rose. Hamilton could yet make something of himself in this sport.   Jane and Alan Wilton promoted this well attended show, at the compact and smart Shorts Social Club, off Belfast's Holywood Road.

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