Smedley and Denton win comeback contests

A late scheduled show from Dennis Hobson Promotions at Sheffield's Don Valley Stadium last Friday night saw a few stable prospects get a run out as well as a few comebacks from some 'whatever happened to them' South Yorkshire contenders.

Topping the bill was local giant David Howe 5(4)-1(1)-0 weighing in at (17st9lbs) taking on tough Zimbabwean via Birmingham warrior Hastings Rasani (15st4lbs).

Rasani looked in decent shape as ever and started the contest as the aggressor, possibly aware of Howe’s last cagey start at this venue in December, which took a dramatic KO against a game Bulgarian in the dying seconds to snatch victory in a fight he was well behind in. Howe obliged by starting nervously, giving Rasani the encouragement to get up close and lead with his head.

Howe started using his most useful tool, his long jab in the second. This had limited success as Rasani continued his assaults at getting close to Howe and limiting the effect of the jab. The third saw Rasani still the aggressor attempting to get round the high guard of Howe with hooks. Howe at this point started to land some shots with venom, getting a right through his opponents guard and momentarily staggering him. His attempts to throw more where thwarted as Rasani used the experience that has taken him to 23(16)-55(21)-4. His experience seemed to suggest lots of niggling head clashes can get him out of this situation and so it did.

The fourth saw more of Rasani getting in Howe's face and the heads constantly far too close together. This was possibly the cause in leading to a delay in the start of the next round, as at the insistence of referee Mike Alexander David Howe’s bloodied right ear was checked out by the ringside doctor before been giving the all clear.

The fifth was further proof that Howe was stepping up in class, and that Rasani was indeed a live opponent. Howe did mange to pin Rasani to a corner but failed to unload allowing the Zimbabwean to get out in a bit of a stumbling fashion. This was Howe’s best round as he landed a good left, right combo that Rasani followed up with a right hook.

It had a feeling of an upset by the start of the sixth as Rasani was still the aggressor, scoring with a sweeping right. He then through the best shot of the fight with a right hook, but to be fair to Howe, he barely flinched. This was the story of the fight as despite his continued aggression he never troubled his much larger opponent throughout. It went to the referee’s score card and a 59-56 decision went in Howe’s favour. This seemed a bit harsh in the least on Rasani who has had his fair share of upsets over the years, and despite his awkward sometimes dirty style he probably deserved at least a draw from the match.

For Howe on the evidence of this and his previous performance it is hard to justify at this point, his place in the mix with the UK’s top heavyweights in a fairly thriving scene. That said it was only his sixth pro fight, and Rasani is a very credible opponent for someone of this experience.

Starting the show was a return to the ring of Sheffield’s Nicki ‘Nightmare’ Smedley (10st 10lbs) against a South African Bheki Moyo (10st 11½lbs), in a six-twos light-middleweight contest. It was Smedley’s first outing in 10 months, after only five bouts in five years. The Sheffielder was like many others before once talked up as the next big star from the Steel City. Unfortunately due to many publicised personal issues he has never made the impact the past few years his reputation has alluded to.

Smedley started by flicking a quick jab constantly into the visitors face, and following up with a digging right to the ribs. It was clear very early he was the superior boxer in all departments and his speed alone would be enough to win at a canter. He ended the round with a flurry of arm shots, with Moyo not landing a shot of note. More success came in the second for Smedley as the digging body shots continued to be a source of discomfort to Moyo. Smedley circled his opponent constantly, his hands low picking shots at Moyo peek a boo defence at will.

The fourth saw Smedley land a four shot combo that finished with a right cross. This probably looked great on the numerous TV cameras that where curiously filming this small hall bill. Moreover to those watching it showed the gulf in class between the two. Further body shots caused Moyo to wince, but fair play to the guy he stuck it out taking the flicking combos.

It was one of the most one sided fights I’ve seen. Moyo was a late replacement and earned his purse. It is impossible to tell anything of Smedley's potential, and it is potential as he is still only 25. If all the noises coming from his camp are right, and he is now for the first time taken the sport seriously they need to keep him active and step him up in class and soon to keep him focused. For the record the bought was scored 60-54.

Next up was another South Yorkshire boxer on the comeback trail. Doncaster’s Andy Roberts (8st 11lbs), was taken on Hungarian southpaw Ignac Kassai (8st 11 1/4lbs). The Hungarian had an undistinguished record of 2(1)-12(4)-2, but the first round saw him landing a left cross flush on Roberts that momentarily staggered him. From this he grew in confidence and probably took the round. The second was typical of the contest and was a tangling affair with Roberts really struggling to deal with the awkward taller southpaw, and looking short of ideas. He tidied up a bit towards the end of the two minute rounds, but the better shot where coming from Kassai, including a pair of sweet left hooks.

Roberts was more on his toes by the fourth, trying to work behind his jab, but Kassai was looking equally effective counter punching. It was probably Roberts best round, and it was also evident a taller southpaw was not his cup of tea. He started the fifth more urgently, but he was soon feeling the pressure from Kassai as he was leaned into and caught a short right flush, this was followed up by body shots.

Kassai was probably aware he was ahead despite been the visitor and so got on his bike a bit in a final round, lacking in any real action. Roberts raised his hands at the end but fellow Doncastrian Howard Foster correctly ignored this plea and gave the contest to Kassai 59-56.

The final comeback kid of the evening was Reagan Denton (12st 8lbs), shaking of five years of ring rust against Nottingham’s Courtney Owen (13st 5½ lbs). Owen had lost his only other professional fight, and despite having a 9lbs advantage most of realised he had bitten of more than he could chew as Reagan landed a big right over the top. An almost identical assault ended the contest at 1:17 of the first round with Mike Alexander stopping the contest immediately.

I am not sure what Reagan wants to achieve by this comeback. He came in looking strong and has looked after himself following his many personal problems that curtailed a promising career start. He was well supported by family and friends at ringside and had an entourage more fitting to British titlist. He took his chance well, and if this has helped exercise a few more demons then fair play to him. Reagan pro record goes to 10(2)-1-0.

It’s rare to see a former genuine world champion, in the corner of a two fight novice but that was the case in the next bout as former IBF light-heavyweight champion Clinton Woods took the trainer's role for Gleadless' Jamie Ward (12st 12½lbs), against Lee Nicholson (12st 12¼lbs), in a rerun of Ward’s 2009 pro debut. On paper this had a bit of intrigue as Nicholson had lost to Ward on his pre mentioned debut. Ward then went on to lose by a brutal KO in his next outing on the fight of the night, to Doncaster’s James Tucker on a snowy Sunday afternoon at The Octagon in December 2009. Nicholson then got a draw against Tucker in his only none defeat since 2007, so may have been fancying a reverse of their original clash.

The first round started with a lot of grappling but the classier shots all came from Ward, even if most of his frantic shots where absorbed by Nicholson’s gloves. His flurries towards the end clearly gave him the round. He maintained the pressure throughout the second with little coming back from his Retford based opponent.

Nicholson went for it at the start of the third, but Ward covered up easily, his retaliation was a short digging uppercut to the solar plexus and further rights draining the breath from Nicholson. Ward’s work was becoming more controlled, as he picked his shots as Nicholson tired further. The control seemed to desert him for the start of the next session, as an arcing right missed by a distance. He regained his composure and started work to the body as the cumulative effect of these shots was clearly his most effective attack.

Nicholson managed to land some shots in the fifth, but Ward had him in trouble with a right. Ward’s continued aggression was starting to have an effect on his own stamina as he failed to follow this up with any real venom. The sixth saw another sickening left right combo to Nicholson’s body bring a final throw of the dice from him and he landed some good shots. The respite was short lived and with just five seconds to go in the final two minute round, Ward landed a big right uppercut that flattened Nicholson.

Referee Howard Foster stopped the contest almost immediately such was the impact of the KO. Concerns over Nicholson’s wellbeing were quickly allayed as he got to his feet to appreciative applause form the few hundred in attendance. His record goes to 30(0)-22(16)-3, whilst Ward goes to 2(1)-1(1)-0. Time will tell how far the 21 year-old can go, but after a year away from contest, he scored a good win, and he does not carry the cross of being undefeated that haunts far too many novices and prospects in their early career.