Young Muttley Makes Hall Look Old News by Dan McGovern Apr 22nd 2005

Last night West Bromwich's highly touted 10st prospect Young Muttley won something called the WBF Inter-Continental Light Welterweight title over 10 hard rounds, over-powering Darlington's Oscar Hall on his way to victory. Muttley, real name Lee Woodley, weighed in only a pound heavier than Oscar Hall but in reality he appeared a whole division bigger, and it was this differential in size and power that would ultimately decide the outcome of this contest, fought at a good pace in front of a packed Dudley Town Hall. This fight, despite the fancy belt on offer, was in reality an (unofficial) elimination contest for the British 10st title, as the domestic competition jockey for position in the wake of Junior Witter's foray into world class. Hall had the edge in experience and ring generalship, but Muttley held the ace cards in terms of his powerful left hand and shear physical strength. Both men had a look in the opening round, feinting and looking to land jabs, whilst circling the ring perimeter. Hall was the first to land a significant punch, when a left hook caught the local man on the bell. The second contained more action altogether, and saw Muttley testing out his own left hook to the head, which he followed up with heavy looking left handed swipes to he body. Already Muttley was stalking in a menacing manner and, ominously for Hall, the left hook of Muttley's had caused a swelling to form underneath the visitor's eye. Hall, an orthodox and relaxed performer, poked away with exploratory jabs in the third, whilst moving well to avoid Muttley's power shots. The Darlington man maintained a tight guard and concentrated hard throughout but couldn't avoid an extravagant right uppercut from Muttley late in the round. By the fourth Muttley (9st 13lbs 8oz) was throwing powerful hooks with both hands. He seemed dismissive of his foe, as though he didn't fear anything that was coming his way. Hall did dig in a neat left hook to Muttley's body but the local man continued to stalk him patiently. A right hook high to Hall's temple appeared to have an effect early in the fifth and Muttley let go with both hands. He flurried hard but his opponent was unflappable. Hall's movement was making it hard for the local man to get set, and he resorted to holding with one arm and hooking viciously with the other when the opportunity arose. The local man was bossing the fight at the midway stage but Hall was following his corner's instructions well and ‘picked and poked' with his jab, whilst evading the majority of Muttley's heavier artillery. Heads came together repeatedly whenever Hall stood his ground, but it was Muttley who was scoring with the eye-catching punches. The West Bromwich man picked up a small cut to his right eye in the seventh round and this elicited a two handed barrage of hooks, as he looked to dampen Hall's spirits. Hall's schooling was evident as he calmly blocked the majority of Muttley's furious assault, but he was unable to halt the local man's steady advance. Muttley briefly turned southpaw in the eighth stanza, as he looked to disrupt Hall's smooth boxing. Hall landed a good left hook whilst Muttley was in this position but had to absorb a meaty head shot himself for his troubles. Hall's accurate and well-timed jabs were slowing the local man and marking him up, with blood now evident from the fan favourite's mouth. Muttley upped the tempo and re-established control in the ninth. He even seemed to briefly drop Hall with a body shot, although referee Terry O'Connor waived it off and cleaned the visitor's gloves. Muttley dug in some fantastically painful looking body shots but the tenacious Hall took them well. He went on to land a beautifully timed counter punch, which sent the local man's mouthpiece flying from the ring. The mouse under Hall's eye was looking dark and sore by the final round, but it did not seem to impede his vision. Muttley refused to relinquish control of the contest and scored with a long left hook, as both men stood and traded to close out an exciting and fast paced contest. Terry O'Connor wasted little time in raising the victor's hand and there was no complaint's from the visitor's corner. O'Connor was slightly generous to the local man with his 98-94 pts scorecard, but the close nature of some of the middle rounds left room for interpretation. The chief supporting contest featured local unbeaten middleweight prospect Darren McDermott (11st 10 ¼lbs) against Warley's veteran Howard ‘Claka' Clarke. Whilst Clarke has assumed the role of journeyman in the years subsequent to his audacious world title challenge to Fernando Vargas, the local boxer had sold a few tickets for this contest and was keen to put on a good showing. The Dean Powell-trained McDermott has cut his teeth on the undercard's of some big shows nationally, but here he was boxing in front of his own fans in an intimate and atmospheric venue. Both men were purposeful straight from the opening bell but it was McDermott who got home first, with some long-range shots to the head of his well-travelled adversary. Clarke (11st 10lbs) used his guile and experience to close the distance on McDermott, depriving him of the room he required to work effectively. McDermott did break through sporadically and landed neat combinations to the head, but unfortunately for all involved Howard injured his shoulder in the midst of the tussle and was forced to retire on his stool at the end of an enjoyable opening round. Walsall ticket seller Matty Hough (11st 13 ½lbs) got his second professional win in as many contests, when he was adjudged the winner of his four-twos contest with Mark Phillips of St Clears, by a 40-37pts margin. Hough was far more relaxed then in his debut at the same venue earlier this year and utilised his height and long range boxing technique well to control his journeyman foe and please his large support in the hall, although Phillips (12st 2lbs) made him work hard throughout. The show opener saw the return of Coseley's Jimmy Gould (10st 10lbs), after an injury-blighted 18 months. Gould was matched with an up-for-it Ernie ‘Gypsy Boy' Smith (11st 4lbs) and got a useful work out in their clash, scheduled over four-threes. Gould concentrated well throughout and opened up with quick bursts of punches. Smith looked to foil his comeback through the use of heavy, single jabs and hooks, as well as by utilising the weight differential to out muscle the local man in close. Gould maintained his cool throughout and boxed well, appearing to shake Stourport's Smith on occasion. Unfortunately for the luckless Gould, he re-damaged his left hand in the final round of the contest and is facing another extended period on the sidelines.

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