Cameron and Smedley remain unbeaten

Sheffield’s former ABA champion Liam ‘Cannonball’ Cameron improved to 9-0 last night with a first round stoppage of Doncaster’s Jason Ball (now 3-2).

The 20 year-old middleweight (11st 5 ½ lbs, pictured) was clearly in the mood to impress in front of his home city’s fans at Don Valley Stadium and seemed intent to end matters early. Showing accuracy from the start – and with Ball not afraid to dig in – it wasn’t long before Cameron walked Ball (11st 6lbs 2oz) down into a corner and unleash a barrage of head shots which had the visitor’s head rocking and rolling. Referee Howard Foster rescued his fellow Doncastrian after 1:55 of the round. Cameron isn't known for his aggression or spite so this was a refreshingsly surprising outcome.

In what was a very well-attended show, Dennis Hobson filled a nine-fight card with local lads. Eight of the bouts featured lads from the city, sometimes filling both corners. Sheffield’s Nicki ‘Nightmare’ Smedley (10st 7lbs 12oz) improved to 14-0 with a 59-56 win over Atherton’s William Warburton (10st 9 ½ lbs). Nicki says he is back “100% dedicated and living boxing” after having a rather chequered time over the last few years. If so, he’ll make a good addition to the domestic scene. He’s a talented lad though, as I told him at ringside, he can be rather frustrating to watch as he never seems to get out of second gear.

“The thing is, when I miss I get frustrated then I load up and that makes it worse,” he explained.

He won this contest over Warburton, now 3-18-2, as he liked and was in full control throughout, popping out combinations to body and head when he fancied it, having particular success with hooks to Warburton's midriff.

He always seems to enjoy his time at ring centre and never looks flustered. As he says regarding his style, “It’s something different, isn’t it?” and it certainly couldn’t be called orthodox as he holds his right hand very low. Smedley’s left elbow was niggling him and he took his foot off the pedal a little as the contest neared its conclusion whilst Warburton, to his credit, kept going.

Smedley is set to box Nigel Wright on May 28th for the English light-welterweight title and we’ll see how rededicated he is to the sport as he’ll have to lose eight pounds to do so. He has only ever boxed under 10st once and that was six years ago. Wright is a very decent operator and is a big step up for the 25 year-old who has exclusively boxed journeymen or novices thus far. But it’s the right time for it.

Another boxer who had a recent sabbatical from the sport is 32 year-old Reagan ‘Dynamite’ Denton. Whilst Smedley’s absence was due to a variety of factors, including a loss of focus after the death of his grandmother to whom he was very close, Denton’s was far more serious. The Sheffield man became a self-confessed ‘smackhead’ and spent time at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. As a result, what should have been five of his peak years from 2006 were lost. It’s remarkable that he’s alive, never mind looking in decent shape at 12st 4 ¼ lbs and winning professional boxing contests.

This was his second comeback fight and whilst his first ended in his favour by stoppage after 77 seconds, he had to go the distance for this win and it didn’t come without hard graft and a bit of choppy water. Denton won 59-56 on Mike Alexander’s card but Hayes novice Darren McKenna (now 1-1, 12st 3 ¼ lbs) certainly put up a good show. Had the visitor had another ten fights, it would have been interesting as Denton’s experience certainly helped.

Denton was in control for much of the contest, displaying controlled aggression and nice orthodox boxing and by the third he had bloodied McKenna’s nose. He was not dispirited but simply tightened his guard and dug in. McKenna took the fourth and a right hook hurt Denton. Had this not happened just before the bell, it would have made for interesting viewing.

The Sheffielder’s fitness levels impressed and he needed them as McKenna continued to press, two right hooks seeming to slightly stun Denton in the last. But it wasn’t going to spoil the home town man’s comeback and he was a deserved winner.

Kyle ‘Hit Em’ Whitham (12st 12lbs 10oz) versus Billy Boyle (12st 13lbs) ended unsatisfactorily in the former man’s favour by way of Technical Decision after four completed rounds. An accidental clash of heads between the two Sheffield light-heavyweights during the fourth session resulted in Whitham picking up a bad-looking cut on the right side of his eyebrow. It’s one of those that’s open to debate. The cut didn’t look great but it was in a position where any blood wouldn’t have gone into his eye. Boyle’s trainer Glyn Rhodes was obviously of this opinion and for the second time in recent weeks (after his man Wayne Reed was handed a very questionable loss at Liverpool’s Prizefighter) he left the building an angry man.

I’m always surprised how rudimentary in approach Boyle is. As a former paratrooper, Boyle will have gone through the regiment’s ‘milling’ many times, which consists of two men with huge gloves acting like windmills and punching non-stop for a given time. Defence is forbidden as is any strategy other than seemingly thoughtless action. Boyle (now 13-9), an old school ‘character’ still seems set in these ways. “Boyley is Boyley,” is all his trainer Rhodes will say on the matter.

Billy nearly followed one of his own, wild overhand rights out of the ring in the first session and resumed action with a big smile on his face. He lost the first two rounds but the fleshy-looking Whitham was becoming sluggish by the third and Boyle picked this round up on his work rate alone.

Referee Alexander, a former light-middleweight of 58 pro fights standing, had a flashback to his fighting days courtesy of a wild left hook from Boyle. Fortunately Alexander slipped it and flashed a smile rather than being in the awkward position of having to issue a count to himself.

Then came the clash, the cut and the conclusion. Alexander rightly had it 39-37. A shame as the contest was warming up nicely.

A very late addition to the bill saw 21 year-old prospect Kid Galahad put on an impressive display in defeating Birmingham journeyman Sid Razak 40-36. Alexander officiated. Galahad, from the Church of Brendan Ingle, was well supported by around 100 fans chanting “Barry!” (the boxer’s real name is the rather less Arthurian Barry Al-Awad). Galahad (9st 6 ¼ lbs) set a blistering pace with lots of flashy, accurate combination punching. Razak (10st 4lbs) couldn’t really do anything about it but he’s seen it all before and is a tough old survivor. He was down in the third but the referee ruled it a slip – Sid was off-balance for sure but looked to have been sent to the canvas by a clip too. The Kid improves to 7-0; Razak is now 6-65.

Danny Tombs (13st 13 ½ lbs) has always looked the part – with his stocky frame and rolling trunk he looks like a mini-Mike Tyson. But his record betrays that he’s another who doesn’t seem to know if he really wants to make a dent in the sport or is merely content with making dents in the occasional opponent. Tombs was another Sheffield man on a comeback, not having fought for two years and, in fact, this was only his eighth contest since making his debut in November 2005.

As it was, he’s back on track by way of a second round stoppage of Lowestoft’s Paul Davis (13st 10lbs 10oz). The first was an even session, notable only for Tombs being sternly warned for head use. The second didn’t last very long. Tombs got home with a left hook, sensed Davis was hurt and jumped on him. A right and left hook combination had Davis temporarily out on his feet. Time of referee Foster's stoppage, 32 seconds.

Two pros got their first wins. Darlington’s Carl Wilson (15st 1lb) made his debut at the venue in a terrible example of matchmaking. Then outweighed by four stones by genuine heavyweight David Howe, he was badly KO’d in 85 seconds. This was a much more pleasant visit and one which came as a great surprise to Sheffield’s Issrar ‘Izzy’ Asif (14st 11lbs 14oz). After an even opener, Izzy became Dizzy when he shipped a big right hook from the County Durham man. He rose at around seven but was ruled unfit to continue by referee Alexander after 1:00 of round two. In what appeared to be an unwise show of bravado, Izzy then performed a few calisthenics at ring centre. All this resulted in was a nose bleed and he left the ring with a towel clamped to his hooter. Wilson was understandably delighted and puts one in the win column against his four losses. Asif is now 2-1.

Another pro delighted with his first win was Sheffield’s Dale ‘Black Mamba’ Hutchinson who beat debutant Imran Khan 59-57 on Alexander’s scorecard. Sheffield’s Khan (10st 11 ¼ lbs) was in great shape and introduced as a former champion kick boxer. He brought a few fans with him and started very confidently, boxing out of a crouch though neither boxer did much in the opener. Khan took rounds two and three, cutting Hutchinson’s left eye in the second, but both sessions were very competitive. Things started to go wrong for the debutant in the fourth when he was docked a point for use of the head and then lost the round to boot. This seemed to whet Hutchison’s appetite and he pinched the fifth, countering Khan and showing good work rate. The contest was still up in the air when the boxers began the sixth and final round and Khan seemed determined not to end up a first-time loser. He went for it but was met with a right hand from Hutchison and Khan soon looked tired. So did Hutchison though, especially when he shipped a body shot. The more experienced novice showed resolve though and greeted the verdict as if he’d won a title – and who can blame him? He’s now 1-5-1.

The only Sheffield-free contest came via Doncaster’s Andy Roberts (8st 8 ½ lbs) against Wolverhampton’s Delroy Spencer (8st 7 ½ lbs). 35 year-old Roberts is having another crack at the sport after initially hanging them up as long ago as 2003. This was his third fight on the comeback trail and his second consecutive loss. To be brutally honest, losing to Delroy (now 14-115-3) means it’s difficult to see where Roberts (now 15-21-5) can go. It must be tempting for the little men to get back in the ring. If they can notch up three wins in a row, they are suddenly back in the mix for some kind of title as the domestic division below nine stone is more of a puddle than a pool these days. Roberts was fit enough, worked hard and I only had him losing 39-38 whereas the boxer’s fellow Doncastrian Howard Foster had it 39-37. A loss it was though and Roberts success came from his industry whereas Spencer’s came from better boxing.

Promoter Hobson referred to Roberts in his programme notes as the “consummate professional”. If he still feels he’s got something to offer, good luck to the fella – he’ll still give some little guys an argument.

All in all, a super little small hall promotion which was well supported by the local community.