Forget life beginning at 40, life has begun at 30 for Glenn Foot.
The Sunderland star is today celebrating becoming Commonwealth light-welterweight champion after stopping Scotland’s Jason Easton in the 11th round of their titanic battle in Glasgow.
A huge right, a Foot feature of Saturday night’s scrap for the vacant belt, rocked the 26-year-old and two follow-up rights put him down.
Referee Terry O’Connor did not even count, halting the contest, the fight of the night at the SSE Hydro, giving medics instant access to treat Jason.
Easton recovered after receiving oxygen and embraced Foot in the ring as the pair exchanged commiserations and congratulations.
For the talented and brave Scot, taken to hospital for checks afterwards, his time will surely come. He already has a foot, no pun intended, on the IBO ladder, and he will climb again.
For Foot, his time is now.
Always entertaining, always aggressive, the Marley Pots hard case has always been ready to engage in a war.
But Foot has been a man re-born since saying good-bye to his twenties and we are now seeing what he really can do.
Last year, Glenn took London southpaw, Philip Bowes, into the trenches at the York Hall to out-fight him and win the vacant English title in a terrific comeback, only to lose the belt less than eight weeks later to the skilled Gloucester mover Akeem Ennis Brown at the Stadium of Light.
For those, who thought Foot’s best days were behind him, he was to serve a sharp reminder of just how he can perform when he challenged Josh Leather, for his North-East neighbour’s IBF European title.
Just six days after turning 30, he decked Josh in the second round and produced an incredible effort only for all three judges to award a points verdict to the defending champion.
On Saturday night in Glasgow, Foot ensured the three men in suits at ringside were not required. He repeated his trick against Leather by flooring Easton in round two and maintained his dominance, with the Edinburgh boxer showing tremendous resilience and character to stay on his feet for so long.
Easton had his moments too but Foot not only took the shots but came back firing to ensure his 22nd and best win of his career.
However, this was not the old up and at ‘em Glenn. Yes, the remorseless attacks were there, but so too was the jab, good movement, great pace and clean work.
Everything Foot did against Leather he did even better here and with Channel 5 showing his contest, he received some deserved TV exposure.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
