Journeyman Clark starts his second half-century with win number two

Lincolnshire journeyman Ryan Clark started his second half-century of bouts with only his second win when squeaking by Sheffield debutant Louis Rutherford at Rotherham’s Magna Centre last night.

A man making his debut often proves an emotional occasion for family and friends and so it was as referee Michael Alexander’s 39-38 verdict was greeted with boos and insults.

BoxRec News had it a draw at 38 apiece but certainly wouldn’t object to the official’s card. Rutherford (12st 0lb 2oz), trained at Glyn Rhodes’ Sheffield Boxing Centre, was alarmingly open to even the wildest of hooks from both hands and he shipped a huge right only a second or two after the opening bell.

A collective intake of breath was taken at ringside and Rutherford is fortunate for one of two things – either he’s got a great chin or Clark (11st 5lbs 12oz) doesn’t carry much of a dig.

The Sheffielder couldn’t miss Clark’s gloves with his chin in the first two rounds, eating many enormous blows which had those at ringside wincing on his behalf. Only once was he wobbled, towards the end of round two.

For reasons best known to himself, Clark simply stopped swinging in rounds three and four, allowing Rutherford to establish a bit of a platform and he boxed quite nicely when permitted to have his own way. But for referee Alexander, it wasn’t enough.

22-year-old Clark averages a fight every 17 days since making his debut in June 2009, and outside of championship class earns more money than most. He moves to 2-45-4. No doubt trainer Rhodes will have Rutherford back to the drawing board when it comes to his defence.

Another journeyman who did himself credit but with less success was Kenyan Geoffrey Munika. He had his good spells but it wasn’t enough to deter Sheffield’s Jerome ‘Wipeout’ Wilson, who moved to 6-1 after a 58-56 points win on Howard Foster’s card.

Wilson (10st 3lbs) boxed well within himself, taking the opening couple of sessions comfortably off the jab. Munika showed he had a little bit of edge to him when he cracked Wilson with a right too soon after touching gloves to open the second round.

Munika earned a share of the third by upping his effort. He did go down after what looked like a left hook but it was ruled a slip. The African looked to be tiring in the fourth just as Wilson was warming up but he dug in and took the fifth and then a share of the last.

It was pretty poor fare in truth, but Munika did his best whilst never threatening to cause an upset; he deserved his pat on the back from Wilson’s trainer and the show’s promoter, Dave Coldwell.

It’s always interesting watching debutants, particularly heavyweights and a clash of first-timers makes it even more appealing. The Ingles might have another decent domestic prospect on their hands with heavyweight Kash Ali (16st 3 ¾ lbs) who totally outboxed Wakefield trier James Oliphant (15st 2lbs).

Both men came to fight but only one knew how to.

Ali looked the boss from the off, boxing confidently, whilst the shorter Oliphant marched forward out of a crouch.

Oliphant’s corner need to shape up too as there was a significant delay to the start of the second whilst referee Alexander ordered them to do the basics – get out of the ring, take your stool with you and clean up all the water you’ve just thrown over the canvas.

As Oliphant became more desperate, his work deteriorated further and became totally based on hope rather than expectation, whilst Ali grew in confidence.

The West Yorkshireman didn’t stop trying and for that reason alone I gave him a share of the last, though I might have been overly generous given the referee’s 40-36 shut out card.

A licence holder at ringside observed re the unfortunate Oliphant – “He looks like a young Brian Glover – and is about as good.” Ali looked half decent.

Another Ali, this Cardiff-based Iraqi Najah (8st 10lbs) had his first fight in 14 months against Middlesbrough’s Chris Riley (8st 13lbs). Even with my personal allegiance to all things Boro, I thought the Teessider was a bit fortunate to go back home with a 38-38 draw. He did box nicely out of a conventional and tight guard but I thought ‘Little Ali’ had done enough to secure a comeback win.

He didn’t seem upset in the slightest though, smiling when both hands were raised. The eye-catching shots came from the man from Baghdad though his time out of the ring was betrayed at the end as he tired whilst Riley continued to tick over.

Woodhouse, Rhodes, etc. to follow…