Ibbo comes through Cover test by Jim Wright Jun 22nd 2008

Sheffield's John Ibbotson had to bring his A game to the table to edge past Worksop's Simeon Cover 58-56 on referee Howard Foster's scorecard after six gruelling sessions at light-heavyweight. Ibbotson started the faster, throwing his straight shots down the middle. Cover, sporting a high guard tried to keep the fight at long range and answered back with his own speculative single-shot bombs. In the second Simeon made a faster start and crashed through his overhand rights. Ibbotson kept his composure and tried to slip and capitalise on Cover's ambition with counter shots of his own. As the fight went on and with neither man willing to give ground many of the exchanges were at close range and ended in clinches. The rounds were difficult to score, Ibbotson was looking to be first and Cover's right hand was finding its target. The final round saw Cover getting back to his boxing and staying on the outside. Ibbotson had racked up the points and saw the fight home to have his arm raised by referee Foster. Ibbotson advances to 10 (4)-1-1. Hillsborough's Adam ‘The Outlaw' Kelly outclassed Manchester's Amir Nadi with an overwhelming 60-52 point victory over six one sided rounds at light-welterweight. Kelly had Nadir down in the first with a right hook and again in the second with a cracking left-right counter. Kelly kept the pressure on and had his man going many times but he couldn't find the final piece of the jigsaw to finish his man in an otherwise faultless performance. Adam mixed the shots up well, fighting mainly out of an orthodox stance and going after Amir's head and body. Kelly made himself difficult to hit and hardly took a shot in anger from the visitor. Kelly enthused, "I enjoyed the fight and I've been training for it like it was a British title fight. It was a good learning fight for me and I want to get back in the ring as soon as possible.” Harworth squaddie Joe Elfidh dominated his light welterweight six rounder against Manchester's Abdul Rashid with a 60-54 shutout points victory. Unbeaten Elfidh looked fluid and relaxed as he had things pretty much under control for every session. Elfidh mixed his shots to good effect and had his man under severe pressure many times. Rashid tried to turn the tide in the fifth but this just gave the Harworth warrior more opportunities. Chesterfield's Mark Krence continued on his cruiserweight comeback trail with a hard earned four round points victory over Featherstone's fight veteran Paul Bonson 40-37. Krence made good use of his reach advantage by keeping things long and sharp. He was backing up the jab to good effect with the left hook catching the eye. Bonson tried to find his way into the fight by slipping inside the long arms of Krence and getting his own combinations off. The fourth and final round was characterised by many of the exchanges ending in a tangled mess for ‘A' star referee Micky Vann to unpick. Still, Bonson had earned his money and gave Krence a nice little test which he passed with flying colours, 40-37. Glyn Rhodes' battler Billy Boyle got the show off to a flyer by finishing off Lowestoft's Paul Davis in spectacular fashion with a leaping left hook in the fifth round that left the visitor out cold and requiring oxygen. Light-heavyweight Boyle started in his usual aggressive manner by coming forward and looking to let the right hand go. Davis tried to unsettle the advancing hometown favourite with sharp counters often behind the uppercut. Billy got the first three rounds through aggression and landing the heavier shots. But Davis regrouped in the fourth by pumping out the jab and keeping Boyle off balance. Davis looked to be repeating his success in the fifth when Boyle unleashed a cracking left hook that left the Lowestoft man out cold on the canvas. By the time referee Howard Foster had waved the fight off Boyle's trainer Glyn Rhodes flew across the ring and nobly administered first aid to his fighter's fallen foe. Boyle did well to find the shot as the fight was evenly balanced with Davis coming on strong. A dangerous proposition is Billy Boyle. Photos: Knockout Images

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