Nicky Cook looked to defend his European title belt in front of his fellow compatriots in Essex on Friday night. Begue, a tough journeyman who is in the form of his life after winning five out of the last six, stood in the Dagenham fighter's way.
A three-quarters full arena gave Cook a warm reception as he made his way to the ring. Looking cut at eight stone thirteen pounds and fourteen ounces, “Cookie” looked much the bigger man despite Begue weighing in at eight stone twelve and twelve.
It was straight into the action after the usual excellent introductions from the best MC in the British business, John Macdonald.
The opening round saw Cook backing up his words of “having a look” with both men feeling their way in. Cook made his intentions well known with a vicious looking body shot half way through the round and was working nicely off the jab, mixing it up to the body. Begue kept ploughing forward and Cook spotting this, tried to throw the uppercut for the first time. Cook's ramrod jabs did enough to establish dominance in the opening round.
The second saw Cook firing a sharp one two followed by another body shot, which was obviously a pre-planned tactic against the game Frenchman. Another murderous left hook to the body saw Begue drop to his knees for an eight count, on the return to his feet there was no relenting from Nicky who looked to push home the advantage and gain an early night. The canny, cagey Frenchman held on until he had his wind back but was under pressure from the Essex warrior. Cook fired out more straight jabs through the middle and now looking for the uppercut follow up, Begue undeterred kept firing back, Cook cannily moving to the left to open up the target area, showing nice fast hands doubling up the jab with hooks and uppercuts. Begue still fired back, still plodding forward; Cook knew he was in a fight. Cook showing maturity beyond his years didn't crowd his work and looked to pick his shots with another left hook to the body, a ten-eight round to the home fighter.
The third saw Cookie continue the good work flashing out the jab, stinging his opponent at will, superiority established, another great body shot followed up with a trademark right cross over the top seemingly rocking the Frenchman. The referee Guiseppe Quartonne (from Italy) was very strict on anything looking remotely borderline on the waistband, Cook renowned for straying low from time to time received his first ticking off for a shot that looked fine to me. Working off the jab for the remainder of the round, Cook was pretty dominant by now and Begue kept plodding forward in straight lines being an easy target for the superior skills of Nicky, who capitalised almost at will. Another round for the Essex champ.
The fourth saw a similar pattern, with Cook circling to the left jabbing all the while, another great body shot was deemed low by the referee and Cooks lateral upper body movement was noticeably beginning to dwindle, Begue finding the target with his own right hands. A cracking right cross from Cook rocked his foe and Cook to his opportunity to fight in his more favoured style, off the front foot. Fast hands good movement, one-twos baffling his opponent, Cookie was showcasing his skills. Begue found the target on occasion but his work was already looking slightly ragged and agricultural. Cook went back to his boxing as Begue battled on, safe in the knowledge he had another round under his belt. Just when the Frenchman would get a foothold, Cook would outbox and ensure his was the cleaner, more eye catching work.
Round five and more sharp jabbing from Cook to keep the relentless opponent at bay, boxing nice and tight through a sound high guard Cook picked off his man, a decent right cross in defiance from the challenger however found its target, Cook in riposte hammered away once more to the body. Whenever the Frenchman came into range Cook with his established tactic of body shot, uppercut, would stun his opponent giving him more than just food for thought. Back to the jab, move, body shot, uppercut, the tactics and variety were good though Begue probably just nicked this round on work rate alone. Nicky, I felt, was just taking a breather.
More sharp jabbing from Cook in the opening seconds, then a sharp left hook followed by another uppercut, a shot Cook looked to often in this fight, pinned the man from Paris on the ropes. Cook sensing blood fired away but the Frenchman sucked it up and gamely threw leather back, Cook sustaining a small nick of the right eye from the rearguard action, backed off, trying to give some room for his work, another uppercut straight through the middle saw Begue reel back and his knees just seemed to drop, was this the beginning of the end of the Frenchman's challenge? Cook showing good variety alternated between pressuring off the front foot and picking his shots off the back foot, another round to the impressive Nicky.
The seventh followed in a similar vein, Begue continually marching forward, Cook showed nice ring generalship still snapping out the jab at will. Nice footwork helped him evade most of his foe's attacks. A strong right hand bounced off the Frenchman's chin but now the better work and volume of shots was coming from the challenger. In the latter part of the fight Cook really let his hands go and an impressive burst of left hooks, uppercuts, right crosses, all wobbled Begue. Cook was now on the offensive but was soon backed up by Johnny in a real see-saw round. The Frenchman's round, just.
The beginning of the eighth was delayed as the slightly picky ref insisted on some of the Vaseline be removed from Cook's brow, undeterred Cook continued to show good movement, using the ring to good effect, slipping punches and showing superior shot selection. Both men entering the “hard yards” part of the fight as they say in rugby, visibly tiring and slowing. Cook though looked like he had more in the tank with his more economic and efficient style. More body shots from the Dagenham man, whenever success was found Nicky doubled up and threw the uppercut. Begue plodding forward in straight lines now was almost a sitting duck, more punches up the middle piercing the challengers defence who showed a decent chin and unperturbed marched relentlessly on. Another right to the body, another uppercut seemingly withered Begue and Cook leapt on the attack. Piling on the pressure, picking the shots, another 10-9 round for Nicky.
The ninth saw an even start, but the Essex man's superior footwork and movement outfoxing the French challenger. A nice one two by Cook and working off the jab still looking to unleash the fearsome uppercut. Begue now swinging and missing leaving himself open to Cook's counter punches. More rib crunchers from the home fighter, then uppercuts hurting the Frenchman despite him shaking his head in defiance. Cook finishing the round with a huge uppercut that bounced off the challenger's cranium.
Cook opened the tenth up with more solid hooks keeping his opponent at range, thirty seconds in and Nicky unleashed a stunning four punch salvo sending the challenger to back off to the ropes, Cook wading in looking for a finishing punch, the crowd cheered its approval. Begue showed courage, sucked it up and came firing back, Cook now totally dominant slipped most of the challenger's punches before firing back with his own right cross, jab uppercut, body shot, right cross most finding the target. The bell chimed just as the referee was considering stepping in saving the challenger just in time.
The penultimate round and Cook looked to close the deal, continued to show patience and maturity in picking the shots, Begue carrying on as he had all night, containing to press. A right left combination from the Frenchman stirred cook to throw another sharp body shot, uppercut, jab combination himself. Cook slackened slightly now confident of a points victory and continued to fire out the more accurate work another round or Cook.
The final round saw Begue aware he needed a KO come out firing, Cook secure in the knowledge of a wide points margin aimed to keep his foe at range, trying to work the angles to get his own shots off. Begue marched relentlessly forward, a nice right hand counter from Cook rocked the aggressive granite chinned Frenchman. The final bell tolled and Cook won by 119-109 twice and 118-108 on the final scorecard.
Undoubtedly a classy performance from Cook, who looked all the part of a stylist in there, lots to work on particularly his defence of the right cross, however at 25 he remains without any doubt one of the hottest properties in British boxing.
