Bravery and brutality in Sheffield by Ian McNeilly Sep 21st 2008

If ever a Scotsman deserved the ‘Braveheart' tag, it's light-middleweight Jamie Coyle. The man from Stirling, challenging for Ryan Rhodes' British title in front of the champion's home city crowd at Sheffield's Hillsborough Leisure Centre last night, was taken into deep, dark waters - but simply refused to be drowned. Rhodes had to settle for a unanimous points victory – 120-109, 118-111 and 120-110 – but rarely have I witnessed such bloody-minded bravery from an obviously outclassed opponent. Coyle withstood everything that was thrown at him and Rhodes, although boxing typically in classy spurts, did indeed connect with almost every punch in the book at some time or other. After the eighth round, I didn't want to see anymore. Coyle looked very dispirited, was not going to win and I felt at the time that his corner should have withdrawn him. On a few occasions I thought that referee Ian John-Lewis was going to rescue the valiant visitor. But every single time Coyle was in any kind of trouble, he came back swinging leather, not allowing any accusations that he was in no position to defend himself. Rhodes entered the ring in typically confident manner and, if based on appearance alone, it looked like it would be a short night's work for him. The champion was muscular and tanned; the pale and undefined Coyle a striking contrast. Rhodes immediately picked his punches well from a southpaw stance and at one point in the opener threw Coyle towards the ropes, immediately indicating his advantage in strength. A wicked right hand to the body from Rhodes made ringsiders wince if not the challenger – a pattern which was to be repeated many, many times before the final bell. I pointed out to my colleague Jim Wright that a section of Coyle's support were holding their Saltire flag the wrong way up. The ‘BRAVEHEART' insignia painted across the middle was upside down. Ever the wit, Big Jim insisted it was the right way up. The fans were just getting ready for when Coyle had to read it from flat on his back. It seemed fair comment at the time. We all thought it was a case of when, not if. We were wrong. By the third, Rhodes was in complete control and seemingly enjoying it. A stoppage seemed well within his control but one of Ryan's several idiosyncrasies is that he finds it very difficult to box in a sustained patch. If he'd have put his foot on the gas for a minute or even thirty seconds, he might have persuaded the referee to intervene. When Rhodes was on the front foot, he was finding gaps in Coyle's defence with ease. But he would throw single shots or brief combos and then stand back to admire his admittedly impressive work. Coyle used this to his advantage and in the fourth and fifth rounds had some notable success himself. There seemed little on his punches but at least he was giving it everything. Rhodes' defence is reasonably porous too, despite his Ingle schooling (though the champ has been with David Coldwell for a while now) and Coyle clipped him several times, much to the joy of his raucous travelling support. Rhodes ended the fifth with a nick over his right eye. During the sixth I became aware of two shrill, near-hysterical voices coming from the crowd. It was Coyle's two young sons, screaming their hearts out for their father. Very uncomfortable. Rhodes had turned up the heat again and was getting through with meaty head shots. Coyle took the seventh on my card simply on an inability to quit, helped by Rhodes open defence. But the eighth was a big round for Rhodes. Coyle was shipping a huge amount and it was after this session I felt he should have been pulled. But I understand the logic of both the corner and the ref – Coyle was still coming, despite the shellacking. Incredible. The ninth followed a similar pattern but the tenth was simply a study in bravery. Rhodes connected with a big left, right combination. Coyle looked very tired and at one point was thrown into a neutral corner and staggered out of it. Rhodes dug in some hard shots, picking up the pace and looking for the stoppage but the indomitable Scot banged back. A hard right hook came in from the champ yet Coyle simply tried harder. Towards the end, Rhodes was teeing off at will before Coyle – from a place I hope I never visit – found the sheer will to come back with his own, eye-catching combination. Coyle even won the eleventh on my card as Rhodes, seemingly accepting that this ghoul from north of the border could not be exorcised, took a breather. A very tired Coyle finished the final round on the front foot as Rhodes danced to another defence. I had it 118-111 to the Sheffielder. I'm not overstating the case – I've seen thousands of fights and Coyle's effort was up there with the best of them. He could have quit a dozen times and no one would have thought the worse of him. Why didn't he quit, he was asked afterwards. A close-to-tears Coyle pointed to his two sons who had screamed themselves hoarse in support of their Dad. Sincerely touching. Rhodes was more agricultural in tone after the cameras had gone. “My hands are f***ing killing me!” It's one thing watching the Christmas knockout highlights reel from the comfort of your own home whilst munching a mince pie and sipping a glass of mulled wine. But when you see one in the flesh, it can often be stomach-churning. That was the fate of Scouser Derry Mathews as he was savagely removed from his senses in the ninth round of a British featherweight eliminator by Belfast's Martin Lindsay. A huge, wide left hook smashed into Mathews' unguarded chin and he was out as soon as it connected. His unprotected head bounced off the bottom rope in sickening fashion. Official time of stoppage, 2:06. Although I'm aware it is good to support one's man, the celebration of one particular member of Lindsay's corner – punching the air and screaming in delight as the count reached three – was very distasteful. There was absolutely no chance of Mathews beating the count and it looked like a guaranteed hospital admission. Mathews thankfully rose to his feet after being treated on the canvas but even as he sportingly raised Lindsay's arm after the announcements, he looked out of it. I had Mathews two points up going into the ninth and he was also winning that session before being sparked. I'd never seen Lindsay before and I was astonished with how wild he was in the first few sessions. He was throwing hooks with both hands from miles away. They were easily avoided by Mathews and the Ulsterman was inevitably countered by a left hook in the second, knocking him down for a count. But it seemed as if Lindsay had a brain transplant before the fourth round and all of a sudden appeared a different, well schooled punch picker. Mathews ended the round with a cut over his left eye. Lindsay took the fifth and sixth on my card, and in the latter round he had particular success with left hands, causing Mathews' nose to bleed heavily. The seventh and eighth sessions were tough to call but I gave them both to Mathews. Although the Scouser was carrying his right hand a bit low, the brutal end was shocking. Several minutes after the conclusion, once Mathews' head had begun to clear, the defeat began to register and he, like Coyle, became somewhat lachrymose. Both fights were a reminder of boxers' bravery and boxing's brutality. Whatever these fighters were paid, they earned every bloody penny. Photos: Laura McGeeney

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rhodes to succeed Sep 22nd 2008, 14:31:36 by potter went to the first haymaker show saturday nite very good boxing show as for the comments made about rhodes ive watched rhodes for the last 10 years and has been put down by alot of people in that time all i can say is that he did his job saturday against a game fighter yes he has his faults but whos punch perfect, i think you could have hit coyle with a hammer saturday night and he would have still ben standing,I think ryan would improve his game with a better class of fighter in the ring and is to exsperienced to throw a fight away, he new saturday that coyel couldnt hurt him thats why in some stages he was getting caught he showed against woolcombe that hes still got what it takes to go places and got a lot to offer british boxing . potter sheffield   Good Report Sep 22nd 2008, 04:03:42 by merseybox Great writing there Ian. Especially the report on Derry Matthews sickening TKO. One of Liverpool's great hopes for boxing honours he will have to think long and hard about his future now. A great win for Watson too it must be said - against a kid who is rarely stopped. Watson and light-heavyweight Tony Bellew have it all to lose in my opinion and hopefully they can bring British, European and 'world' honours back home with them in the next few years. (Thanks for the kind words. I've seen the KO on telly. It looks bad enough on there but I have to say it looked much worse in the flesh. I believe he's OK now - thank goodness. Ed.)   Lachrymal days are here again ... Sep 21st 2008, 14:54:23 by zzutak 1. Absurdly brave performance by Coyle, his corner should have done the right thing and pulled him out though, however much he protested, a sustained beating round after round like that can ruin a fighter 2. Don't like to see fighters kids attending bouts, can't be good for a nipper to see Dad take a pasting like that (I recall Richard Dunn's kids in a state of near hysteria on seeing Dad flattened by Bugner) the Board should put a stop to it really 3. Something still not right about Rhodes despite his last two wins, as you said Ian lack of sustained work, admiration of his efforts, and he doesn't look at all happy when under any pressure (on the odd occasion Woolcombe forced him back, Rhodes eyes closed and he looked in near panic) If the mooted Vuma fight happens my money is on stoppage win for Vuma 4. Derry Mathews is basically a bully, I said after the Tseveenpurev reality check he would never be the same, seems I was correct