Ringside banter from Doncaster by Ian McNeilly Oct 21st 2007

A selection of bits and bobs from the Gomez-Johanneson card at Doncaster on Friday night. I'm not one for falling over myself to take part in a fighter's often overly ceremonial ring entrance. But Michael Gomez is always well worth a look. I went and stood next to one of his sombrero-clad supporters. Gomez always has time for his fans and proved it by glaring menacingly at his own supporter before fixing his gaze on me. The poor sod stood next to me turned white. I, of course, am made of sterner stuff and simply beat a hasty retreat to my press seat. The Gomez supporter you might have seen hurling abuse at the venerable Mr Vann was a pain in the posterior throughout the contest, to be honest. There's nothing wrong with supporting your man but not only was this bloke cheering on Michael, he also roared occasional expletives at Johanneson and stood up at ringside throughout the fight, blocking the view of those behind him whose complaints fell on deaf ears. I don't know if this man had bought a ticket but the people behind him certainly had and security should have dealt with him earlier than they did. I'd heard there was a bit of ‘banter' in the bar before the main event between Johanneson's Leeds-supporting following and Gomez's mad Mancs. The Yorkshire lads ought to have taken care as amongst Gomez's fans were Robin Reid and Michael Brodie. Tony Salam was another who made an intimidating entrance, crossing the canvas to circle Ovill McKenzie. The keen edge of the threat was blunted somewhat by his cornerman losing his footing on the ring apron and falling into the front row of officials in ignominious fashion. McKenzie's trainer, Big Clifton Mitchell, wasn't in the mood to mess about. He hit his man harder than Salam did, slapping him a couple of times in the corner and telling him to ‘Wake up!' Mitchell had a point as McKenzie had hurt Salam in the second and was there for the taking. I felt Michael Alexander's card for Salam was very harsh but you've got to call them as you see them. There was a bit of ‘afters' in the McKenzie corner when Salam came over at the end and Clifton pushed him away. This was no place for a robbery though. Christopher Ellison, who played colourful Burnside in The Bill, was an interested front row spectator. Frank Maloney is probably the best promoter in Britain at the moment. Maybe not the richest and certainly not the one putting on the fights of most significance in world terms but his cards are full of ‘live' fights and they often make for compelling viewing. My hat goes off to Gatis Skuja who withstood everything Danny Reynolds could throw at him and came back with his own bombs. Reynolds' vocal following must have had spells of worry and they gave Skuja the respectful applause he'd earned. The promotion had wars aplenty, actually. Sheffield's Ryan Rowlinson (2-6-2) is a limited lad but very game and gave Doncaster's Lee Nicholson (3-10) a good scrap. Nicholson was so overjoyed at dropping Rowlinson that he prematurely celebrated, leaping in the air and bounding all over the ring. Referee Howard Foster soon brought him back to earth by shoving him unceremoniously into a neutral corner. Nicholson apologised for having forgot himself. The show opener was another war. Decent prospect is Gary Sykes but he was shaken to his boots by another game Glyn Rhodes lad in Dwayne Hill. Good little boxer is Hilly and brave too, going out on his shield with one second left of the fourth. There was the usual pomp and fanfare for young Ross Burkinshaw's entrance. Former colleagues from the Rifles regiment were in attendance and Ross sported his beret for the preamble. Despite his military background, Burkinshaw should learn that he doesn't have to go into the trenches every time he laces the gloves up. I thought he was a tad fortunate to squeak a draw against Shaun Docherty. Ross loves a scrap and let's hope that isn't his undoing. You certainly can't question his effort – he gave it absolutely everything. To the uninitiated, it might have looked like Gary Reid had beaten John Fewkes. I had it 78-75 to the ‘Fireball', one more than referee Foster had it. Reid chased him down all night with only sporadic success as Fewkes tapped, turned and disappeared again. The antithesis to some of the other fights on the card but if you are clever, you do what you have to do to win. Fewkes plainly said he wasn't going to stand and trade with pocket battleship Reid because that would be playing into his hands. Sensible, really. Reid disagreed with the verdict. “I thought I won, definitely. I was chasing him all night and he wasn't hitting me. I hurt him in the last and he was holding all the time. I've nothing against John Fewkes – just the ref! But, you've just got to get on with it, haven't you?” Talking of sensible boxing, that was the word Frank Maloney used to describe Carl Johanneson's effort. He didn't look too sensible when he was getting hit with repeated uppercuts. In the first round and a half, Carl looked absolutely awful. He had no snap whatsoever, was walking into shots and just looked like he would rather be anywhere else. An absolutely amazing turn around. "(Kevin) Mitchell might change his mind after seeing that!” said Maloney of his charge's proposed December title defence. “We knew if would be heavy weather for the first three rounds but then it would be plain sailing. He boxed sensible.” Heroic effort by both men though I feel Johanneson might just be papering over the cracks. He could do much worse than re-dedicating himself to the sport and returning to the Ingles. Dapper Dave Coldwell was casting his promotional eye over the card. Six days earlier he'd organised a promotion at Barnsley which almost fell through when Ryan Rhodes' proposed opponent, Ossie Duran, pulled out at three days' notice, citing a broken leg in an accident with a car which happened whilst he was doing his roadwork in Ghana. Olufemi Moses stepped in at short notice and was stopped in two – after which he burst into tears. I put it to Coldwell that Duran might now be off his Christmas card list. “He's cost me a few Christmas presents for my little girl and all!” Coldwell had paid for flights and it had taken two weeks of chasing to get Duran his visa. “All I could get at that short notice was Moses or Ernie Smith.” Erstwhile Britishboxing.net reporter Paul Concannon was ringside working for the Yorkshire Evening Post, which proves that web writing can lead on to a bit of paid work here and there if you do the right things and stick at it long enough. Paul had done a preview for the Leeds' paper too and it looked great – though not quite as great as the far-too-good-for-him girlfriend he'd brought along with him. “I got sick of doing things and not getting much in return,” said the mercenary swine of his seven years of internet journalism. Let's hope for Conk's sake that the lovely Zoe doesn't follow the same philosophy.

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I disagree Oct 22nd 2007, 07:44:59 by paulsmith Ian I think Hennessy Sports are the top promoters in the UK putting on far more exciting fights than Fight Factory. Ed. responds - Aye, nothing wrong with that opinion, Paul. I like Hennessy shows. It's just that the last couple of Maloney shows have seen some really live small hall classics.