Boulden and Toms crowned Southern Area champs at York Hall
Gary Boulden overcame a ferocious crowd and an a far more experienced opponent to controversially pip Kresnick Qato to the vacant Southern Area middleweight title on Sunday night at the York Hall. Bob Williams scored the bout 96-95 in favour of the 25-year-old from Shepperton.
I first saw Qato five years ago at the same venue and ever since ringsiders always make the same joke when the Eastern European ticket seller is fighting – “What are you doing if he loses – I’m jumping under the ring!”. Well, myself and others scored the fight to Kresnick, and when the decision against him was announced the crowd voiced their displeasure but left the venue without any further incident whatsoever.
Boulden took the first on my tally as Qato seemed content to have a close look at the man seven years his junior. As the two fighters felt each other out over the first three minutes, Qato’s fans were deafening. The York Hall was yet again transformed into an intimidating cauldron of partisan support amidst the omnipresent red flags proud and black eagles.
Kresnick moved his head well and in the next round and made Boulden miss widely, and Qato brought delight to his blood-thirsty supporters by connecting with a hard right hand at the close of the session. I found it hard to split the pair in many of the sessions as both were scoring well in a real give-and-take small hall crowd pleaser. A cut appeared in the lower corner of Boulden’s left eye in the sixth but he remained focused and managed to get his punches off. It was a case of whose efforts you weighted more on the card – Boulden’s volume or Qato’s right hands and crafty defensive moves.
Qato, a British citizen of Albanian extraction, was having his thirty-third paid start and his umpteenth title tilt. In stark contrast, it is Gary’s first strap in only his ninth bout. This one could easily happen again.
Ryan Toms remained unbeaten as he floored and widely out pointed Margate’s Scott Woolford to capture the vacant Southern Area light-middleweight title over the ten round distance. Woolford, who had only been stopped twice in nineteen prior contests, was floored by a flurry following a fantastic left uppercut in the second round. Scott rose and was in desperate trouble. In amongst the bedlam, referee Ken Curtis was unable to hear the bell, which signalled a fortunate reprieve for the 27-year-old Kent man. It looked very likely that Woolford would not make the end of the session when Ryan landed another one of those sweet left uppercuts in the third, but he couldn’t finish the job.
Toms was always in control of the vast majority of the contest from then on. Scott plugged away and tried to turn the fight in his favour. He shaded two rounds on my card, mainly due to Ryan taking his foot off the gas. At the close, Toms took a comfortable 99-92 point win on Curtis’ card that reflected my own. Toms has plenty of targets domestically for which to aim – new English king Brian Rose, recently crowned British champ Prince Arron or freshly dethroned Sam Webb would all suit the cross-hairs nicely.
Mickey Helliet-managed Tony Owen scored a six round shut out over Reading hardman Ibrar Riyaz at lightweight. Riyaz routinely dropped his hands and let the light punching 24-year-old put shot his head. The blond-headed youngster from Carshalton is a purist’s wet dream (ugh - Ed.) as his silky skills really nullified all Ibrar’s journeyman tactics. However without a dig to speak of, it remains to see if he can hold his boxing together when tested at a slightly higher level when pressured.
But against journeyman opposition last night, Tony looked very good indeed.
Chas Symonds returned after 26 months out to overcome ever-willing Jason Nesbitt over four rounds at welter. Symonds took the opener and showed no signs of rust whatsoever as he punched in bunches of five. Chas had been heavily knocked out by hard punching Ugandan Badru Lusambya in 2009 in the same ring but seemed refreshed and confident. Volatile Nesbitt lost his rag after getting caught after the bell and the fight turned into an entertaining tear up in the second. Chas, now 15-4 (5), was hurt on the inside in the third but managed to get to the bell. He then saw his way through the last to take a 39-37 point decision.
Finally, Danny Conor and Dwayne Grimes fought each other to a standstill over four rounds at light-middle. Conor looked out of his depth in the first. He attacked well, but simply left himself vulnerable too often and was punished before he could exit the punishing range. Grimes appeared confident and caught the taller man flush on several occasions. However, Grimes was cut in the second and Danny seemed to grow in stature as Dwayne never looked as confident from that point forward. Grimes was caught be jabs and right uppercuts as the power seemed to drift out of him. To his credit, Grimes fought bravely to push Conor close despite the cut being inspected several times by the doctor. At the close the third man scored it to Conor by a point (39-38).
