No Badger cull in Bellahouston
Kris 'Badger' Hughes of Bellshill took the Scottish featherweight title from James Ancliff of Aberdeen in a classic matador/bull confrontation in a noisy Bellahouston Leisure Centre on this Alex Morrison/Billy Nelson joint promotion.
The show was held on Friday the 13th, a date that wasn't really unlucky for Ancliff, he was just outboxed for large parts of the bout by the stylish southpaw. Ancliff came into the ring fired up like a coiled spring, but Hughes was calmness personified and began picking shots with some accuracy, whilst avoiding Ancliff's wild and not so wooly swings. If any of these shots had caught the Bellshill boxer flush then who knows what the end result would have been, but in any event they didn't, with Hughes taking the title with some aplomb and style.
The clash of styles between a southpaw boxer and an orthodox fighter meant the bout didn't flow as such, but it did have an almost riveting fascination, akin to a bullfight as you couldn't take your eyes off it. If cojones (since I'm on the bullfighting metaphor) was the criteria for boxing, then Ancliff would be a world title holder, as he has those for certain and the heart of lion to go with them! However they aren't and his fighting style is pretty visceral and raw. I've referee'd the Fettercairn-born and Aberdeen based fighter as an amateur and he always lives up to the tag on his shorts 'all action', with no thought of reverse gear ever entering his head.
During the middle rounds the bout had settled into a pattern with Ancliff trying to cull the Badger with every swing, so much so that I doubt if the Luftwaffe threw as many bombs on Clydebank as Ancliff threw towards Hughes. By the penultimate round Ancliff needed a knockout to win, but this particular Badger wasn't for being gassed by the Fettercairn man.
As always, Ancliff gave the bout every ounce of energy from every sinew in his body, all to no avail as he was simply beaten by a better boxer. Since this is the third time they've met and the third time Hughes has won, it is fair to say the Badger has the gamekeeper's son's number.
