Kris Cross?

Kris Carslaw (10st 13lbs 4ozs), I suspect won't be overly pleased this morning with his defence of the British Masters light middleweight bauble in the Kelvin Hall last night. Yes, he got to keep the strap but in truth he struggled throughout and looked drained against Dee Mitchell (10st 13lbs 14ozs).

He started brightly enough probing at Mitchell's defence in a tentative opener. His double jab and hook cum uppercut was valuable if not very painful to the Birmingham man. Mitchell's own right has some meat behind it, but he was using it only sparingly from the third round. Mitchell had his tactics spot on, he was so tight up against the Paisley man, the normally smooth and fluid Carlsaw was unable to flow with his shots.

This tactic wasn't pleasing the legion of fans for Carslaw, but as it was effective Mitchell wasn't remotely concerned about the opposition support.

Carslaw looked to be sweating more than a politician with dodgy expenses, and you can't help but wonder if he was tight at the weight!

Many of the rounds were close if uninspiring with the two of them so close to each other, and the result was a fight that was imminently forgettable as a spectacle. Mitchell took the bout as if it was his own WBC belt and Carslaw possibly had other things on his mind with publicity suggesting a shot at the real British title with Prince Arron.

If he's tight at the weight then I'd recommend a rethink on the basis of this showing.

Referee Victor Loughlin had the same score as myself with a 97-95 points win to the local man. It would have taken a bit more for Mitchell to snatch the strap in the "Lion's Den" and he didn't do that, but will have been the happier of the two on the basis of his plan to stifle the normally vibrant work of Kris, and in a midlands venue may have taken the decision.