Mixed results and emotions in Leeds by Paul Concannon Mar 23rd 2006

Popular West Yorkshire promoter Keith Walker bowed out of boxing with a good value three-bout black-tie affair in Leeds on Monday night. The card featured popular local man Danny Thornton, Wakefield ticket-seller Mark Franks and the man billed as ‘Leeds' new punching sensation', Danny Reynolds in separate six-twos. First up was a super-middleweight contest featuring Thornton, who weighed bang on the division limit at 12 stone, in action against Watford's ever popular veteran, Ojay Abrahams, who came in at a career heaviest 12 stone 8. Thornton as ever, gave a good, solid, value for money performance against a useful veteran having his 91st pro bout. The word that sums up Thornton best for me is purposeful. He works hard, boxes aggressively and picks his punches well. On this night he predictably had too much ambition for Ojay and worked through all six, eating the occasional dangerous-looking right uppercut counter for his trouble, while Abrahams fought a clever defensive bout and gave Thornton a lively run for his money without ever threatening to take over. Referee Mike Alexander scored the entertaining bout 60-54 in favour of the Leeds man. Next up was undefeated Leeds light-middleweight hope Danny Reynolds having his third outing, against Welshman Geraint Harvey. Danny, 11 stone 3 and 8 oz, was not at his best, but still had too much for Harvey, who weighed in at 10 stones 13 oz. Reynolds was a little too eager in the first and smothered his work just a touch as he fired an endless barrage of southpaw left-handers in an attempt to bring about a spectacular ending. Reynolds fired in a neat barrage to the body late in the round but ended the first with his back to the ropes as the plucky visitor bustled away. The second was a little sharper, with Danny walking through the Welshman's jabs to mix in some right hooks and a few jabs with his attack. Both were warned for untidy work in the second after Harvey was thrown to the floor in a clinch. It was around this point that the cut occurred and Harvey's corner had little hesitation in pulling him out at the bell. Mickey Vann refereed. It later emerged that the Leeds man had been hampered with a throat infection, and manager Mark Bateson had wanted to pull him of the bill, but Danny had refused, not wanting to let Keith Walker down on his final show. It's still very early days for the exciting and stiff-punching Reynolds and he looks like one to watch as he gradually adapts to life in the pro game. “I must have hit him pretty hard because he was walking back to my corner at the end,” joked the likeable Reynolds afterwards. In the final bout of the evening, Wakefield's ever-popular Mark Franks, who had been undefeated in his previous five after a debut defeat, suffered a setback when stopped after four rounds against Chester's useful Omar Gumati. Franks, like Reynolds before him, was coming in under the shadow of a debilitating bout of illness, and his lack of fitness was quickly exposed by the sharp, accurate skills of Gumati. Omar is better than his 4-3-1 record would suggest, and survived a busy opening-round attack from the ever-aggressive Franks to take over in the second with stiff counter-punching, never to relinquish control. In the second Mark quickly realised he didn't have the sharpness to compete in a boxing-match and began looking to end the fight with wild left-hook and right hand haymakers, which Gumati saw coming, and duly responded with stiff combinations. The third was more of the same, and the in the fourth the gutsy local found himself absorbing an uncomfortable amount of leather while doing his best to chug along. One combination had Keith Walker hovering with the towel, but one thumping right bought Mark brief respite. Walker had, however seen enough, and sensibly pulled his man out at rounds end. “I just haven't been well at it showed, it was burning up inside me,” the disappointed Franks told me afterwards. Franks, who fights with an infectious enthusiasm, can come again. Ringside Notes: Hitman in Residence: The evening's guest of honour was none other than IBF and WBA light-welterweight champion Ricky Hatton, who patiently posed for photographs with adoring fans after the show. A Farewell to Fists: I caught up with Keith Walker after the show to find out why this was, for the foreseeable future at least, his last show. Keith a successful businessman with several outside interests told me he feels his commitment isn't what it needs to be for the men in his charge in such a tough game. “I love this sport and I owe it to the people around me to get out now. This is too dangerous a sport not to give 100%.” Mark Bateson's thoughts on his man Reynolds: “He fought while ill, which he shouldn't have done, and he was a bit eager to get the guy out of there quickly. He (Reynolds) can hit hard and he wanted to get this one over early so he was fighting with that in the back of his mind. But we still get the stoppage and that cut just prevented Danny stopping his guy properly. "Remember, Harvey has only been stopped a couple of times in over 20 fights. Danny is just getting used to being pro and I would like him to go the distance a couple of times. Next year, we would take Rick Manners offer to fight Manocha Salari very happily. Danny has had just three fights and I want to get him used to a few rounds under his belt first.”

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