Prospect watch: Groves, Dallas, Dickinson, Olubamiwo & Ochieng all win

Friday Fight Night saw a host of some of the country's most exciting prospects fighting on the undercard of Jamie McDonnell's controversial points decision over Ian Napa. Indeed, Frank Maloney Promotions have a big number of promising fighters on their books and it was a joy to see so many on the same night. Perhaps most highly rated of all, former double ABA champion George Groves (right with recent sparring partner Paul David) was in action, making his eighth professional outing.

 

There'd been much talk in the build up about Groves' opponent for the fight, with numerous fighters agreeing then pulling out of the contest. Having originally been scheduled for eight rounds, the super-middleweight was also expecting to fight in Las Vegas a week later on the Mosley-Berto show. However, the sheer number of bouts on the Brentwood bill meant Friday's fight was cut down to six rounds and then the tragic events in Haiti led to the cancellation of the headline fight in Vegas meaning the entire show was called off. A double blow then for the ambitious Hammersmith man who has set his sights on domestic title fights in 2010.

Nevertheless, Groves showed the skill and power that has made him one of the hottest properties in boxing today to see off tough Bulgarian Grigor Sarohanian. Indeed, the Bulgarian, who has previously campaigned up at light-heavyweight, had never previously been stopped and looked aggressive in the opening round, firing in swinging punches. It was a relatively slow start for a fighter of Groves’ standard but he soon got into his stride in the second round, dumping Sarohanian to the canvas with a superb right. Sarohanian seemed badly shaken, his gumshield falling out as he clambered to his feet. The fight continued though, with Groves firmly on the front foot and it wasn’t long before another fine right sent Sarohanian to the floor again. The bell sounded for the end of the second though and that gave the Bulgarian chance to regain his senses.

 

Groves started the third with trademark authority, working his classy jab to set up attacks before eventually landing a peach of a left to the body to fell Sarohanian for the final time. It was a crippling body shot, right in the bread basket, and the Sarohanian corner were quick to throw in the towel as their man winced on his knees.

 

Speaking after the fight, 21 year-old Groves revealed there had been some problems travelling to the venue, making preparations less than ideal.

 

“Well, London traffic let me down, it was a bit of a rush backstage but I managed to pull out a decent performance.

 

“Took me a round or so to really get into my stride and get doing the stuff I’d been doing in the gym but once that had happened I put him down in the second and finished him in the third, so I’m happy with that.”

 

It was a good workout for Groves and the heavier Sarohanian was a decent opponent considering the number of pull-outs for the fight.

 

“Yeah, he turned up overweight, so he was a bit of a lump when he came out. We knew he’d come out with his big bombs to start off, which is exactly what he did so it was about me getting past and doing the things I’m supposed to do with that type of opponent.

 

“It wasn’t perfect, I promised Adam [Booth] it would be perfect but it wasn’t so I’ve got to hold my hands up there but we’ll go back, work on a few things and hopefully I can put in a faultless performance next time out.”

 

A solid start to the year then for the ‘Saint’, who moves to 8(6)-0, and whilst tougher challenges lay ahead, he remains on course for a domestic title in 2010.

Hard-hitting heavyweight Larry Olubamiwo took on one-time prospect and Prizefighter contender Scott Belshaw in a scheduled six round contest. Before the fight, many had seen the bout as a step up for Olubamiwo but the Hackney fighter, known as 'The War Machine' put in a hugely dominant performance to demolish his opponent inside the first round.

It was yet another display of impressive punching power from Olubamiwo who looked supremely confident as he entered the ring. Belshaw, in contrast, seemed nervous as the two fighters squared up to hear the referee’s instructions and it wasn’t long before those nerves were justified as 'The War Machine' went straight to work. Olubamiwo is a fighter who wastes little time in moving forwards and looking to land punches and those aggressive tactics were extremely effective against Belshaw, the Belfast man dropping to the canvas early on before a neat uppercut sent him crashing to the canvas again.

 

Belshaw visited the floor four times in total, though the third was ruled a slip by the referee. On the fourth occasion the fight was wisely waved off, Olubamiwo’s power clearly too much for a stunned Belshaw. A first round stoppage then for 'The War Machine', a round quicker than both Tyson Fury and Audley Harrison had managed and a firm signal of intent sent out to the rest of the heavyweight division that here is a fighter with the aggression and power to trouble all-comers.

 

Speaking after the fight, Olubamiwo told BoxRec News "I said this before, you know, if I did exactly what I thought I'd do, I'd have him out of there quick, and that's exactly what happened.

 

“If I'd been more assertive in the first minute, I could have had him out quicker and that's not to disrespect him, he was a good opponent as I've said before but I knew what I could do and I knew his weaknesses. The win's a good one so hopefully it's onwards and upwards for me.”

 

There’s certainly no reason the heavyweight can’t continue to move up a level and no doubt fans will be keen to see the explosive fighter back in action soon.

 

"Hopefully it'll be in March, the pattern looks like I'm getting on every two months so hopefully it can stay that way. I understand that Frank has a lot of fighters he has to put on, but hopefully he's also mindful of my progress and that he wants to put me on every two months so hopefully it's in March at some point.

 

"Frank said he wants me to box for the British title by the end of the year and for me that's a very realistic goal. I think with this win I put my name in the mix and hopefully by the end of this year I'll be able to fight for the British title.

 

“Frank came to tell me after the fight that he thinks he might be able to get me a Southern Area title shot by the next fight so we'll wait and see on that. Ideally I'd like to have a scheduled 8 rounder first but we'll see how it goes. Like I said, I'm looking forward to 2010, it's a big year for me and I started it off with a bang.”

 

A great start indeed for Olubamiwo, who had also mentioned a surprise for fans prior to the fight.

 

"That surprise I was telling you about? I actually had a lot of advice from Freddie Roach for the fight. I spoke to him on the phone and he really did help me. He took a big interest in me and was keen to help me, which he did.”

 

Well, there’s few better compliments than one of the top trainers in world boxing ringing you up for a chat and offering his help and if Olubamiwo can keep registering impressive wins there’s no doubt more admirers will follow.

 

Also on the bill, light-heavyweight Travis Dickinson fought a hard six rounder against cruiserweight Hastings Rasani. Criticism is often directed at promoters for not matching prospects difficultly enough but that certainly couldn’t be argued in this case, Frank Maloney handing the North-East’s Dickinson a big test against seasoned Rasani. Not only was Rasani a weight division higher than Dickinson, he had also fought in some seventy-one more bouts, Dickinson making only his fifth professional outing.

 

Nevertheless, it was a confident start from the young prospect, landing some fast one-two combinations on the front foot. Indeed, Dickinson likes to move forwards and throw straight shots, but he does suffer slightly from not throwing the jab often enough whilst moving in straight lines and this allowed Rasani to land several lead right hands. Dickinson ended the first well though, firing in a crisp right just as the bell sounded.

 

It was more of the same in the second too, Dickinson backing up his man onto the ropes and firing in hurtful looking left-right combinations. Rasani came back with some right hands of his own, Dickinson looking a little too easy to hit at times, but he showed the power that has stopped three of his four opponents so far, with a big right that rocked the bigger Rasani and staggered him onto the ropes. Rasani showed his guile though and the experience that no doubt comes with over seventy fights, to weather the storm, ducking and weaving to avoid Dickinson’s attempts to finish his man.

 

The third was a quieter round, though Dickinson showed improved poise to pick off Rasani as he came in, before landing another big right to stun the cruiserweight. Much of the round was fought up close though neither fighter produced much work on the inside and Dickinson seemed worryingly tired in his corner at the end of the round. The fourth confirmed those fears as Rasani attacked the body as Dickinson’s movement disappeared and the prospect was forced to take two big right hands. The round seemed to give Rasani renewed belief and he started the fifth up on his toes looking confident. A sharp right hand cut Dickinson on the side of his left eye and the fight seemed to be turning. However, Dickinson showed superb fighting spirit to come back with hurtful shots of his own, seemingly galvanised by the cut, he shook Rasani with a huge right and ended the round on top.

 

The sixth and final round was another close one, with both fighters landing shots. Dickinson fired in a good right early on and followed up with a combination of three or four punches with Rasani on the ropes. Rasani landed a counter right midway through the round but it was Dickinson moving forwards and backing up his man, clearly tired but showing great heart and resolve to see out a close and hard-fought points victory, the referee handing the prospect a 58-57 win.

 

It was definitely a test for Dickinson and no doubt questions will be asked about his fitness. There had been some mention in the build up about the young fighter’s commitment to training and this fight should have certainly proven to him the need to be in the gym working hard if he is to fulfil his ambitions in the professional game. The 21 year-old defeated fellow prospect George Groves in the amateurs and there’s bound to be comparisons between the two fighters. The difference on Friday night was night and day but it’s important to remember that fighters develop at different rates and there’s no doubt Dickinson has huge potential. Fighting against a cruiserweight, he took some big punches and looked largely unfazed, and some of his own punches were frighteningly powerful. So, should he improve his fitness, his chin and power alone are enough to promise plenty of exciting fights in the future, but he does have a tendency to look a bit upright coming forwards and he’ll need to work his jab more to set up attacks and vary his angles of movement and punch variety as he steps up the class of his opposition.

Elsewhere on the bill, Chatham heavyweight Tom Dallas made quick work of Bulgarian Yavor Marinchev, sending him to the canvas several times in the opening two rounds with a big bodyshot at the end of the second proving enough to force his man to quit on his stool before the start of the third. He improves to 9(7)-0.

 

Super-middleweight Erick Ochieng from Hackney also won in the second round with a stoppage win over Plymouth’s Jon Harrison to improve to 3(1)-0.