Kenny Anderson back with a stoppage win

Originally a five fight card, yesterday's show at Colne was reduced to four fights over the weekend following the late withdrawal of Stevie Taylor who took ill with appendicitis on Friday.The fact that the show took place at all is a real credit to Steve Wood and his VIP Promotions team who also had to find replacements for two other fighters who dropped out very late on.

Opening Sunday’s proceedings was Blackburn’s Ali Shah who, following five straight victories was keen to show his new promoter what he could do in this four-threes welterweight contest. His opponent was Wolverhampton’s durable journeyman Carl Allen, fighting in his 121st fight.

Credit to Allen who, using all his ring experience, caused Shah some problems and made sure he didn’t have it all his own way. The local support got behind and encouraged Allen (Shah being from a rival Lancashire town) to give it his best shot and he appeared to appreciate and rallied to the cheers.

However, he never really looked like troubling Shah who showed some skilful, impressive and fancy footwork at times avoiding Allen’s best shots. Referee John Latham gave Shah the verdict with a 40-37 points win. Who knows what future Shah has in the boxing game but his footwork and dance moves maybe better suited on Britain’s Got Talent!

Next up was the return to the ring of Kenny Anderson whose last appearance, a loss back in November had the new British and Commonwealth super-middleweight champion George Groves in serious trouble.

It was clear from the outset that Anderson was in a different class to his opponent Joe Rea (a late replacement). Anderson dominated from start to the finish that came at the end of the fourth when Rea withdrew from the scheduled six-round contest with a shoulder injury.

The penultimate fight of the afternoon was the headliner featuring at welterweight local favourite 21 year-old Shayne “The Pain” Singleton whose professional career continued to blossom in front of his adoring and vocal home support.

After the very early exchanges Singleton was comfortable throughout the six rounds against his opponent William Warburton and notched up his eighth straight victory since turning professional. He again showed off his impressive skills and dominated from the centre of the ring. If anything, at times Singleton was too eager to please his fans rather than concentrate on his undoubted boxing ability. The contest was won, with ease, the referee awarding a 60-54 victory.

The final event featured yet another unbeaten VIP prospect, 20 year-old super-middleweight Luke Blackledge from Accrington. He faced Phil 'You Know' Goodwin from Hull in a four round bout. Goodwin, we were told had taken the fight at less than four hours notice to save the show. Goodwin certainly earned his corn and proved, at times to be an awkward and more than credible late replacement. Blackledge certainly knew he had been in a fight but gave another powerful performance and earned a 40-36 points win that gave him his fourth win in a thus far promising ring career.