Inconclusive end to Battle of the Midlands by Tom Podmore Jun 21st 2008

A “Battle of the Midlands” fight that had been anticipated for 2,102,400 minutes (four years) lasted for exactly three minutes and fifty seconds at a packed Wolverhampton Civic Hall last night (Friday June 20). That's because an accidental clash of heads early in the second session of the Birmingham versus Black Country British middleweight title clash between Birmingham-based champion Wayne Elcock and Dudley's Darren ‘The Black Country Body Snatcher' McDermott, undefeated in 15 entering, ended the challenger's night before it had even started. It was an ending that deflated both McDermott and a partisan and expectant Black Country crowd. This, a battle that had been talked about seriously since the long-armed Midlander dismissed Coventry southpaw Andy Halder, a former British title and Midland Area champion, in five one-sided rounds back in 2005. You couldn't think of a better all-Midlands showdown. But you have to feel for both parties, albeit for differing reasons. Even though Elcock retained his Lonsdale Belt for the first time, doing so against an unbeaten prospect, the questions about what he has left after the Arthur Abraham knockout defeat in December still haven't been answered. He would have liked to have conclusively dismissed his Midlands rival without the questions that will inevitably balance above his head. For McDermott, who earned the right to fight for this title with a five-round win over Darren Rhodes in February 2007, it's more to do with the fact he didn't get the chance to prove to the country what most around here knew he was capable of doing. He had built an unbeaten ledger over five years and was itching for the opportunity to prove himself against the best in the country, itching to beat Elcock for the British title. A rematch is a must, surely? If the cut had happened, say, in the seventh round when one of them had been definitively on top then there wouldn't really be much ground for a second fight. But the fact it looked so finely poised and was so early in the scheduled 12-rounder means that nothing is settled. An angle for a return fight could easily be sold. That is up to the board, mind, who have a backlog of middleweights desperate for a shot at the coveted strap: Commonwealth champ Darren Barker, English boss Paul Smith, Birmingham's Matthew Macklin, Gary Lockett, Kevin Concepcion, etc. It might be a case of Darren having to beat one of the said men to speed the process of a second crack. This was, of course, the biggest all-Midlands fight since Birmingham's Pat Cowdell boxed Nottingham's Dave Needham for the British featherweight strap at this venue in 1979. Although the East Midlander beat the future two-time world title challenger in controversial circumstances, judged a slender 147-146 winner, at least that fight managed to get as far as the scorecard. And many ringsiders asked if the cut was severe enough to end the fight right away? On first glance you would have to say no. The cut, a deep wound that sliced underneath the 29-year-old's left eye, wasn't going to impede his vision and Vitali Klitschko had suffered a similar injury against Lennox Lewis in 2003. Yes, he was stopped on those cuts after six, but had obtained them early on and was allowed to go on. However, I managed to grab a few words with Dr Choudhury, a respected man in these parts, in the car park afterwards (in the queue to pay, incidentally) and he put forward a solid argument as to why he called off the fight only 50 seconds into round two. I put it to him that maybe he should have allowed the local hero to continue and let his corner, a corner that included world-renowned cuts man Jimmy Tibbs, try and work on it between rounds. He told me: “If I had let Darren go on any further then he would probably have ended up having to have plastic surgery,” reasoned the experienced ringsider. “That would have been at the detriment to his career in the long term. Me ending it early means he can come back and fight another day.” His reasoning is backed up by the interview conducted by Sky Sports in the Dean Powell-managed stylist's dressing room only minutes after he'd left the ring. Both sides of his face were badly swollen because of the wound, meaning that both of his eyes were rapidly starting to close. In hindsight, it certainly looks as if the doctor made the correct decision. It's just a shame that it had to happen at all, especially as the fight was warming up nicely at the time. But the manner of the finish also raises questions about a technical draw being introduced onto these shores. Presently the British Boxing Board of Control do not have that in their list of rules – something I believe should be seriously considered. Neither man deserved to taste defeat in those circumstances so a technical draw would have been a fair way to settle matters. Fight-wise, there isn't a great deal to talk about. A relatively quite opener saw the champion do the early running: coming in behind the jab and driving solid body shots into McDermott's (11st 5lbs) lean, wiry frame. By the halfway stage, though, Darren was warming to the task and snapped the former English and WBU middleweight champion's head back with a whipping right uppercut on the inside. Elcock (11st 4lbs), making the first defence of a belt he won against long-time British, Commonwealth and European champion, two-time world title challenger Howard Eastman, last September, again bustled in behind his lead early in the second. It was when he came in looking to land that the top of his head sprung up and connected on the Dudley's man's cheekbone, opening the wound that would bring the curtain down on the action. Howard Foster quickly noticed the blood oozing from the wound and led him to his corner. A consultation with the doctor, who shook his head as soon as he saw the severity of the injury, and a bout that had promised so many fireworks had finished with a damp squib. The vociferous audience, incensed by what they saw as a deliberate butt from Elcock, booed loudly and audibly, chanting “cheat, cheat” at the former world title challenger from the Shard End portion of the Second City. That's unfair. The Paddy Lynch-trained fighter, shorter by five inches at 5ft 9 1/2, didn't intentionally smack his head into the taller man's face, the disparity in height was always going to lead to heads coming together. Elcock had to run from the ring back to his dressing room. And the 34-year-old domestic champion, now 19-3 (9), said after the inconclusive ending to a fight that had the area split on who'd emerge with the 11st 6lbs title strapped around their waist: “It wasn't an ideal finish to the fight. I didn't even get out of first gear, but I'm not happy to win like that, of course I'm not. It's an absolutely terrible way to decide a fight. “It was over before it began,” Wayne, with one notch (the mandatory one) on his belt, continued. “I'm really disappointed to win that way and its not the way anyone wanted it to end, especially as so many people had been looking forward to it for such a long time. Still, a win's a win. I take my hat off to Darren, who must have prepared hard for the fight and will be absolutely devastating to lose like that. “He's had a long wait for his opportunity (won an eliminator 15 months ago) and for it to end in a couple of rounds is poor really, but hopefully he can come back,” said a personable, modest and magnanimous Birmingham City supporter who's won seven out of seven (six quickly) in the Midlands. “But it would only have been a matter of time before I would have knocked him out. “I've obviously had a bit of inactivity after the Abraham fight so it was nice to get in there and get the feeling back again. I was hoping to get a few rounds under my belt after six months out of action, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. I've now got to crack on and think about my next fight.” The Ronnie Brown-advised former Midland Area and British Masters champion, meanwhile, who was understandably devastated at the defeat and at losing his unblemished professional record that now stands at 14-1-1 (9), added: “I feel I was robbed of my chance to win the belt. I'll take it on the chin, bounce back and win the British title when I get my next shot.” Terry O'Connor (Birmingham) John Keane (Northampton) and Mark Green (London) were the three judges that were rendered irrelevant. Chief support on a cracking Hennessy Sports, GoldenPalace.net and First Team-promoted bill saw Telford's Mark Lloyd fend off a sterling challenge from Newark's AA (Andrew Alan) Lowe to add the vacant Midland Area welterweight title to his collection of belts, referee Terry O'Connor stepping in to save Lowe from further punishment at 1-31 of the eighth. Lowe's trainer, former Midland Area, British Masters and WBF super-featherweight champion Carl Greaves, had thrown the towel in moments earlier when his man, pinned on the ropes, had his head snapped upwards by a right uppercut. Even though he wasn't in any danger of being flattened by Lloyd, Andrew had been broken down bit by bit with crunching body punches. And despite the cracking effort put in by the super-fit welterweight, who never stopped pumping his arms in an effort to take the vacant belt back home with him, he was down 68-64 on my scorecard at the time of the ending. Still, its all part of the learning process for the 28-year-old, participating in his first ten-rounder. Lloyd, by way of comparison, was taking part in his fifth ten-rounder and fourth in as many outings. Experience and strength proved decisive. AA (10st 6lbs 8oz) definitely had his moments, winning rounds two and three for me by keeping Mark on the back foot and outworking a man who recently lost in a challenge for the English strap at the weight (narrowly outpointed 97-95 by Adnan Amar, who relinquished this Area belt). But the Errol Johnson-trained hardman took over from the fifth, bullying him to the ropes and banging in hooks to the ribs. Lloyd, 32 and almost four inches shorter than the co-challenger, continued to show he was the boss on the inside throughout rounds six and seven, Lowe forced to dig his elbows into his ribs in an attempt to deflect the shots being winged at his sides. He covered well, but some got through and the pain etched across the Newark man's face told the story. And the end came in the eighth. A right over Lowe's guard saw him scrambling to the ropes and Lloyd (10st 6lbs 4oz), never one to let a man off when he's hurt, pounded the brave former Royal Marine with left, rights, uppercuts and body shots until Mr O'Connor dived in with just under half of the round still remaining. It was a well-timed stoppage for me, one that saves him for another day, another title crack. Well-supported Lloyd, 11-1 (3), has now procured three titles at three weights. He won the British Masters at light-middleweight, International Masters at middleweight and now has the Midland Area strap at welterweight. He will be looking for a second crack at the English title in the months to come. Lowe, now with seven wins from nine (one inside), can certainly come again. Things looked bad for undefeated Stafford hope Rob Hunt (10st 3lbs) when he was sensational decked by a sweeping left hook in the opening 30 seconds of his six-threes with uncompromising Ghanaian southpaw Alex ‘Wild' Brew (10st 2lbs), who is no stranger to the Wolverhampton Civic Hall. Unorthodox Brew had lost in seven rounds to Dean Harrison at this venue in February and then dumped unbeaten Bradford light-welter Nadeem Siddique on the floor in the first (Nottingham Arena, May) before being starched with a left to the body in the next round. Hunt couldn't replicate that feat, however, and had to make do with a 58-56 decision (spot-on for me) from Nigel Gill after a valuable fight that sets up a title crack at this venue next month. There were positives and negatives to take out of the fight for the 22-year-old, tutored terrifically by Paul Dykes in Stone, Staffordshire. The positives were that he showed heart and a chin to get up from an early knockdown, ride out a follow-up and shrug off any other hard shots for the rest of the battle. The negatives were that he sometimes looked like he didn't know what to do with a long-armed portsider who swung wildly and didn't take advantage of the openings when Brew missed with wide swings. That will come with experience. Remember, his six-rounder with Brew was only his tenth paid outing (all wins, one inside) after a two-fight amateur career that saw both wins end quickly. The West African also had a tidy record, nine wins in 15 (one draw, seven quickly), and had been 12 rounds before. A decent test for someone with such a lack of boxing background. Hunt had started brightly before the knockdown, a punch that sent him crashing to the canvas. Up quickly, Rob came back well enough for me to only score the session 10-9 in the Accra-based fighter's favour. The popular Stafford ticket-seller then looked like he might send his opponent home early when he dug the body with left hooks in the second, making space to slot them home and sending a look of pain across his worn face. The third was level but Brew definitely had the better of the fourth. Hunt, only taking part in his second 18-minute bout, started to look tired and jaded – a testament to Alex's heavy hooks to the ribs. It wasn't easy but Rob edged the last two rounds and it sets him up nicely for his title crack on July 24. He still has a bit to learn. Northern Ireland welterweight Stephen Haughian (10st 8lbs 8oz), with John Breen and Eamonn Magee in his corner, impressed with a two-round dismissal of outgunned Spanish southpaw Raul Saiz (10st 5lbs 8oz), now 7-5-1 (6), Mr Gill calling it off with the Barcelona fighter on wobbly pins. I had seen Haughian, having his first outing since December and his first outside Ireland, box live before (Dublin, March 2007) and he impressed me again. The Lurgan stylist was neat, compact and hurt his older (31) opponent with fast-handed one-twos in the opening three minutes. The second was but a few seconds old when a left slammed into the European's head and prompted a merciless follow-up from Stephen, now 14-1 (6), that convinced the referee to make an intervention with only 30 seconds on the clock. It was set for four-threes and the 23-year-old is back in action over eight in Limerick on July 19. Former top-rated amateur James Flinn (10st 7lbs) added an impressive scalp to his two-fight ledger (both wins, one inside), outscoring Scotsman Paddy Pollock (10st 13lbs) 39-38 over four-threes. Rob Chalmers handled inside the ropes and Terry O'Connor scored from the outside. For what its worth, I had the smooth-boxing Coventry stylist winning every round. Errol Johnson-trained Flinn, 26 and who holds amateur wins over the likes of Scott Haywood and Jamie Spence, neatly outboxed the taller, leaner fighter from Wishaw, now with five wins in 12 (five losses, two draws), throughout. He used his faster hands to push Pollock back, superior skills to keep him at bay, clattered him with lefts, used chopping punches to the body and was generally in command. Wolverhampton light-middleweight Rob Kenney (11st 2lbs) extended his unbeaten record to eight fights (seven wins, one draw) with a 38-36 four-threes win over Colchester-based Scot Drew Campbell (11st 4lbs). Terry O'Connor scored on the outside for trialist official Mr Chalmers. Both men had a taste of the canvas in the opening two rounds. Errol Johnson-trained Kenney had worked well off the jab in the opening three minutes, getting his reward when a counter right made the brave and willing Elgin-born middleweight touch down in the last ten seconds. Campbell had his turn in the next – a right and cuffing left putting the local on the floor. Recovering quickly, Rob stuck to his boxing, dominated the rest of the round and won the next two for a decent win in a good scrap. Returning Wolverhampton puncher Steve ‘Bomber' Saville (10st 5lbs) had a give-and-take brawl with Coventry's durable ‘Bulldog' Baz Carey (10st 2lbs), having his 50th paid outing, over four rounds. Terry O'Connor, scoring on the outside for Rob Chalmers, marked it 38-37 in a barnstormer that saw Carey's gloves touch down in the second and Saville deducted a point for low blows in the last. The pocket-sized battlers engaged in some terrific exchanges that delighted the pro-Saville crowd. The 31-year-old local made Carey, 37, take a count with a quick right in the second and banged in plenty of hard-looking hooks to head and body. Carey gave as good as he got and could have earned a share had he not taken that count in the second. He won the last two for me, 10-9 in the last when Steve, now 16-4 (6), had a point deducted. Former Midland Area title challenger Steve, out of the ring for six years and trained in Wednesbury by Errol Johnson, is back in action at this venue on July 24. Another Wolverhampton boxer, Lyndsey Scragg (9st 2 3/4lbs), kept her undefeated paid ledger intact, now 6-0 (3), with a 40-36 shut-out win over Bulgarian veteran Galina Gumliiska (8st 13 1/4lbs). Mr Gill officiated a good-value four-twos curtain-raiser that saw popular Scragg, now ranked two in Europe, dominate. The 34-year-old from Sofia should be praised for taking her lumps, lumps that included a mouse under her left eye, and trying to fight back. Errol Johnson-trained Lyndsey was far too good, pressing forward on the front foot, using both hands to redden the face of her taller opponent and almost looking as if she could force a stoppage in the second. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Scragg is the best female boxer I've seen. The fourth Wolverhampton boxer on the 11-fight card, southpaw Russell ‘Rooster' Colley, gave away a huge chunk of weight (11st 1lbs to 12st 4lbs) but still won every round against Rotherham's winless Ricky Strike. Mr Gill handled this all-southpaw show-closer that saw 24-year-old Colley, a cousin of Rob Kenney, improve to two wins without loss. As he did against Peter Dunn on his paid debut at the end of April, former England international Colley opened up the Yorkshireman's defence with long, probing right leads and followed with accurate straight lefts. It looked as if Dave Coldwell, Strike's trainer, was about to throw the towel in during the last of a four-twos but Ricky made it home. He is still to get off the mark after nine fights. Telford's Keiron ‘Slammer' Gray (11st 6lbs) fought like someone had offended his mother on his pro bow in May, halting Sheffield's Lee Duncan in three rounds at the Nottingham Arena. He went searching for another stoppage against Wakefield's Tony Stones (11st 12lbs), winless in eight (two draws), but had to make do with a 40-36 win from Terry O'Connor (Mr Chalmers on the inside). I had it 40-38 to Gray, incidentally, after an entertaining four-twos. Both came to have a row and that led to some terrific exchanges. Errol Johnson-trained Gray, 30, marched forward but eat his fair share of shots and ended with both eyes swollen and a bloody nose. Still, he rattled his durable opponent, also 30, on several occasions in the last two and was a worthy winner. He is now unbeaten in two outings (one inside). Dudley first-timer Jamie Ball (11st) sent his large band of supporters home happy with a 40-36 four-twos win from Mr Gill over Rotherham's Paul Royston (11st 5lbs). Portsider Ball, 23, dominated the bout, banging the body and sending 23-year-old Royston on his heels with straight lefts down the pipe. Jamie boxes again on July 24. Photos: Knockout Images

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