McDonnell digs deep in his defence
There was a packed house at the Doncaster Dome to watch home town lad Jamie McDonnell (8st 6lbs) have a tough - but ultimately successful - second defence of his European bantamweight crown against a very game Stephane Jamoye (8st 4lb 12oz).
A lively opener saw McDonnell banging heavily to the body and some short rights firing back from the shorter Belgian, who made his brawling intentions clear early doors. Much of the cleaner work came from McDonnell, but Jamoye was the aggressor and landed the more telling blows.
The second saw more of Jamoye’s aggression as he swarmed onto McDonnell and landed an early counter right hook that had McDonnell reeling along the ropes. Jamoye sensed he might be on for an early upset, and continued his onslaught landing at least three more good right hooks. McDonnell was forced to hold on at this point. He finished off the round better but the early power shots from the challenger won him the round clearly.
The third was pretty much the same with Jamoye taking the centre of the ring and landing powerful rights and more of them. McDonnell again was dragged into a brawl for most of the round and didn’t seem to start boxing until the last thirty seconds, landing a good left hook to the body. This was not the oft used ruse of a professional trying to catch the judges’ eyes in the close of the round. He was seriously struggling with the Liege challenger's strength and aggression.
The fight was already exceeding my own expectations, having not recognised many names on Jamoye’s record I was sceptical of his stats. But credit where credit is due, he had really come for the upset, the title and more importantly to fight. Immediate quick exchanges in the fourth saw McDonnell exposed to short rights as both fighters threw in flurries, then for the first time he seemed to go on the back foot and started to box the round much better, without lessening the spectacle. McDonnell was also showing he was prepared to brawl as he pushed his opponent across the ring much to the referees displeasure. McDonnell finished the round strongly with two body shots.
In the fifth McDonnell started to land some good hooks over Jamoye’s guard. It was at this moment when McDonnell was looking to press forward that the referee Robin Dolplierre inexplicably separated the two fighters, for what I can only assume was a leading forearm. This was the not first of many interruptions by the occasionally over-officious official.
McDonnell then for the first time started a round as the aggressor, but was still open to Jamoye right hook. McDonnell was then warned incorrectly for a low blow, and for the first time Jamoye seemed to complain a bit about the rough house tactics, but to be fair on that level he gave as much as he took throughout the fight.
Signs that Jamoye might be tiring and the fight was perhaps swinging in McDonnell’s favour where more apparent at the start of the seventh, as the Belgian was last out of his corner. As McDonnell had the best of the exchanges landing good combinations as both fighters exchanged, with low/borderline blows becoming increasingly common.
Eight saw the champion land a good left followed by two solid rights but Jamoye still snapped back. A stiff right by McDonnell was followed up well with some short flurries but Jamoye still never buckled and instead landed his powerful right. A left hook got the crowd cheering but Jamoye had taken these all night. The only time I associate anything Belgian with this much fight it’s usually Stella-related. The referee continued to spoil what was a really fluid fight, by stopping the action at every opportunity.
Jamoye's short right landed again in the ninth but it was starting to lose its sting as McDonnell walked through it, and landed a left, right, left, right salvo. Next round saw Jamoye again throw some big right hooks, but he complained further as McDonnell span him on one of his attacks. McDonnell's body movement had greatly improved by this round, and he was picking his shots with much more control. Jamoye again appeared to be wilting as he was backed into a corner. Strangely, despite the partisan crowd's encouragement he failed to tee off anything further of significance.
Jamoye went hell for the leather at the start of eleventh, McDonnell wisely went on the back foot again and boxed at range with a defensive right and landing with the left. Again the referee stopped the fight and deducted a point from McDonnell. It seemed innocuous enough but must be due to an accumulation of fouls.
I am not one to criticise referees lightly, but for a second at the start of the final round I was sure he was going to stop the fighters touching gloves. He didn’t ruin the spectacle too much as a slug fest started the finale. Both fighters landed good shots, but neither looked like being stopped at this stage, and both deserved to finish this lively contest.
It went to the scorecards with scores of 115-113, 114-113 and 114-114 in favour of McDonnell, who retained his strap and goes to 16(7)-2(0)-1. Probably the 115-113 tally was the fairest reflection. It was a really entertaining opener to the new season, McDonnell, showed he was prepared to rough it when required, but looked worryingly exposed at times.
Full credit however to the 21 year-old Jamoye, who came to take the title and give it everything he had. His record goes to 20(9)-2(0)-0. A return to these shores would be more than welcome, and I sense we have not seen the best of him yet.
