Versatile Sykes easily retains British title
Gary Sykes produced a typically workmanlike display to successfully defend his British super-featherweight crown with a unanimous points victory over serial title challenger Kevin O’Hara at the Huddersfield Leisure Centre last night.
After a circumspect beginning, Sykes found his rhythm from the third round onwards and was far too busy, persistent and versatile for the bewildered O’Hara whose challenge disappointingly petered out. After 12 fairly predictable sessions, judge Howard Foster scored it 119-111 for Sykes whilst judges Victor Loughlin and Dave Parris both had it 118-111 for the unbeaten Dewsbury man.
O’Hara (9st 3), who has come up short in title challenges to Ricky Burns (Commonwealth), Eddie Hyland (Irish) and Willie Limond (Celtic) previously, vowed to give it everything against Sykes in what could be his last major chance. The Irishman was as good as his word, for two rounds at least, as he began purposefully and caught the upright Sykes with a number of right hands and sweeping left hooks as the champion was slow out of the blocks.
It appeared that Sykes (9st 3 12oz), making the first defence of his British title that he won by narrowly outpointing Andy Morris in March, was going to be in for a hard night. However, the Dewsbury man finally got going in round three, typically putting his punches together in twos and threes and started to make use of his significant reach advantage by stepping in with the jab.
An accidental clash of heads resulted in O’Hara suffering a nick to his right eye in round four but this was the least of his problems as Sykes tigerishly worked the head and body to rack up the points.
If there is a criticism that can be levelled at Sykes it would be that his work, for all its endeavour, often lacks accuracy. The Yorkshireman missed with a high percentage of his 947 punches but the fact that he threw almost 400 more than O’Hara tells the story of the fight. Whether on the front foot or on the back, boxing orthodox or southpaw (as he did sporadically last night), Sykes never stopped throwing leather and is showing himself to be a very versatile performer.
The fight was slipping away from O’Hara in the middle rounds and left hooks to the body in rounds seven and eight appeared to trouble the Irishman but Sykes, with only four stoppages on his record, lacks power. Sykes continued to be looser and busier as he effortlessly controlled O’Hara down the stretch as the Irishman continued to be hesitant when much more urgency was required.
The ‘Yorkshire Oscar De La Hoya’ impressively got stronger as the fight wore on and he produced his most dominant session in the eleventh as he drove O’Hara back, drilling him with left hooks and uppercuts inside. The deflated O’Hara, who long since required a knockout to win, returned to his corner with a cut to his left eye after the pair’s heads came together again.
Sykes gave the impression that he could have gone on all night. He wrapped up an impressive night’s work by snapping O’Hara’s head back following some impressive attacks in a authoritative final round.
The 26-year-old champion remains a work in progress, his power and accuracy requiring particular attention, but clearly possesses an abundance of talent and tenacity to cement his position at British title level and, possibly, beyond. A Yorkshire derby against Leeds’ former British champion Carl Johanneson would be an intriguing showdown for later in the year.
In a shock on the undercard, Blackpool’s Brian Rose saw his unbeaten record and mooted autumn title challenge to British light-middleweight champion Sam Webb go out of the window after he was badly knocked out by Max Maxwell in round six.
This was Rose’s first fight since his stoppage of Jason Rushton in October which saw Rushton collapse in the dressing room afterwards and subsequently rushed to hospital (Jason is recovering, thankfully). Perhaps understandably then the likeable Rose was a little tentative early on. Maxwell, trained by Richie Woodhall, burrowed forward at every opportunity and a right hand opened up a cut to Rose’s left eye in round two.
Rose responded by producing some classy work in the third, catching Maxwell with an uppercut as he came forward but the majority of Brian’s rat-a-tat-tat work were arm punches which were unable to deter Maxwell from sticking to his task. Rose did well in the fifth, hooking inside and showing good strength to turn Maxwell in the clinches and spin away as the pendulum swung back-and-forth in this spirited encounter.
The fight was dramatically ended in round six though when Maxwell uncorked a tremendous right hand over the top which sent Rose plummeting to the canvas face first. Brian was momentarily out cold and referee Steve Gray sensibly didn’t bother with his count so that the Blackpool man could receive some urgent medical attention. Fortunately, Brian was able to make it to his feet a few minutes later after receiving oxygen and seemed ok as he left the ring.
To his credit, the humble Maxwell ensured his celebrations remained mooted despite him gaining the biggest victory of his career. The Birmingham trier, now 12-9-2, is much better than his record would suggest.
Max now hopes to take Rose’s place and challenge for Sam Webb’s British title in the Autumn. After this upset win Maxwell’s plea has merit, particularly as he floored Webb before dropping a narrow points decision to him when they previously met in an eight-rounder last March.
Undercard results
super-featherweight Carl Johanneson W pts 6 (60-54) Arek Malek
super-flyweight Paul Edwards W pts 6 (58-57) Anwar Alfadli
super-bantamweight John Donnelly W rtd 3 Andy Bell
middleweight Alastair Warren W pts 4 (39-38) Curis Valentine
light-welterweight Tyrone Nurse W TKO5 Johnny Greaves
super-bantamweight Josh Warrington W pts 4 (40-36) John Riley
