Wigan undercard review: Watson gives Mr Crush a taste of his own medicine
On the Wigan undercard, Craig Watson became a two-time Commonwealth champion by impressively hammering Uganda’s Badru Lusambya in two rounds to capture the vacant light-middleweight championship in this all-southpaw clash. Both boxers only learned of their shock title opportunity this week after first Gary Woolcombe and then Thomas McDonagh, who were originally due to contest the vacant Commonwealth 11st crown, both pulled out.
For Watson, a career welterweight who spoke of getting down to light-welter after weighing 10st 3 for his stoppage win over Barrie Jones in February, this looked a gamble against a fighter dubbed ‘Mr Crush’ who had a reputation for being a puncher. It turned out to be a well calculated risk however as Lusambya is only really a welterweight himself, highlighted by the fact that he weighed only a pound over the welterweight championship limit for this one at 10st 8 8oz.
Watson looked trim despite weighing a career heaviest 10st 13 ½ and was nice and relaxed in the first round. The loose limbed Lusambya also looked dangerous with his left hand but was out of range and left gaping holes in his defence which Watson fully exploited.
A sharp left hand counter dropped Lusambya for seven at the outset of round two and the same punch deposited the shell-shocked Ugandan back to the canvas moments later. It seemed as though Craig could have landed his left with his eyes closed, such was Lusambya’s generosity in presenting an open target. The Ugandan went down for a third time midway through the round but was effectively bundled over and rose quickly.
A harder left hand, which sent Lusambya crashing to the mat for a fourth time, was a knockdown too many for referee Marcus McDonnell who waved things off at 1.12 of the second round to cap an excellent performance from Watson.The Oldham stylist improves to 17-3 and hits much harder than his seven stoppages would suggest. Lusambya’s padded record slips to 21-2-2.
All-action super-bantam Craig Lyon notched his tenth straight win by stopping Georgia’s George Gachechiladze in the final round of this six-three’s clash. Former ABA champion Lyon’s style of taking a shot to land his own isn’t suited to longevity but the St Helens slugger will always be in good fights.
The unbeaten crowd pleaser came out firing and floored Gachechiladze with a left hook in the first round. An impressive follow-up, consisting of a left hook to the body and a right to the temple sent Gachechiladze (now 5-3) down for a second time as Lyon threatened to steamroll the visitor. The Georgian, on a winning run of three coming into this, dug in well though and survived the crisis.
After a whirlwind start Lyon settled down and showed what a competent boxer he can be by picking Gachechiladze off with single jabs. Craig remains easy to hit however and is open to right hands which left him bloodied to the nose and nicked above the right eyebrow in round three. Although well in front, Lyon’s facial damage made it look like he was losing and his right eye also started to close in the fourth.
Just when the fight seemed to be heading for the distance, Lyon unleashed a superlative right hand which left Gachechiladze’s legs quivering in the centre of the ring prompting referee Steve Gray to step in at 1.32 of the sixth and final round.
I liked the look of Hatton Promotions’ new heavyweight signing Richard Towers who demolished Bulgarian journeyman Yavor Marinchev in two rounds. In fairness, the Sheffield heavyweight enjoyed a two-and-a-half stone weight and seven inch height advantage over his opponent but he made it count by putting his shots together impressively as he switched from body to head.
Marinchev was floored three times in all from an assortment of clubbing right hands and uppercuts in a torrid second session which trialist referee John Latham waved off at the 2.27 mark. The 6’7 Towers, who cuts an imposing and impressively sculptured figure, recorded his fifth knockout in his seven pro victories and is one to keep an eye on. He reminds me, facially at least, of one-time American contender Lance Whittaker but looks far less mechanical.
Cruiserweight hopeful Matty Askin won the ‘Battle of Blackpool’ by stopping Matthew Ellis in the second round of their cruiserweight clash. One-time prospect Ellis lacks ambition these days and has been previously swept aside by Audley Harrison, Enzo Maccarinelli and Tyson Fury, amongst others. A single right hand did the damage, flooring Ellis who elected to sit out the ten count with a wry smirk on his face to signal he had had enough. Askin did all that was expected of him and is now 6-0 (3).
Other results:
Sergey Gulyakevich w pts 6 Nugzar Margvelashvili (super-featherweight)
Farai Musiyiwa w TKO2 Jez Wilson (middleweight)
Martin Gethin w pts 6 John Baguley (lightweight)
Lee Edwards w pts 6 John Musgrave (middleweight)
Alex Dilmaghani w pts 4 Johnny Greaves (lightweight)
