Lawrence Osueke finished his first year as a professional on a high with victory at the Christmas Cracker.
The 30-year-old (pictured) completed his seventh straight success by outpointing Norbert Szekeres in Dunston, referee Ron Kerney awarding a 60-54 shut-out.
At several points, Osueke hurt the Hungarian to the body and while he was unable to force a stoppage, six dominant rounds will have done no harm at all.
The Steve Wraith-managed, Niki Gittus-trained light-heavy looked an absolute picture, as always, and immediately got to work with his double jab and some jolting rights to the 32-year-old’s body.
For good measure he used his left to the body in the second and gave his opponent a thorough going over in the third.
Winning at an absolute canter, it appeared an early finish was inevitable but Szekeres defended bravely in the later rounds to make it to the end.
Joe Maphosa opened the show with an absolute masterclass, enjoying a 40-36 shut-out against old foe Steve Maguire.
Credit to the Manchester southpaw for turning out at
the 11th hour after Maphosa’s original opponent, Louis Norman, was forced too pull out with illness.
‘Smokin’ Joe’ had stopped the 32-year-old when they met at South Shields back in March and he looked capable of doing the same at the Lancastrian Suite.
He fired in shots at will at the man in the red corner, especially with his right to both head and body.
Referee Kearney scored it 40-36 to the Imran Naeem-coached ace.
Anth Ornsby enjoyed a winning debut … but only just.
The teenage former Wallsend ABC boxer edged home 39-38 against Slovakian veteran Rudolf Durica.
Ornsby started brightly enough and when ‘Soldier Boy’ got through with a couple of rights and a left hook, it looked a token gesture.
However that was not the case and Durica outworked the 18-year-old in round two. Ornsby came out with purpose for the third and while he won the session, the visitor was far from daunted.
And with Mal Gates.working in the East European’s corner, the South Shields coach sent out Durica to “win the last and win the fight’.
Anth whacked Durica with some short right hooks but his bearded foe got stuck in and even raised his hand at the final bell, but Ornsby edged it.
‘Turbo’ Terry Tyers signed off the event with a fine 40-37 victory over Poland’s Patryk Buczek.
The unbeaten Ferryhill fighter was on the front foot from the first sound of Stewart Lithgo’s bell, backing up the Nottingham-based man in the red corner.
Thereafter, the rounds were quite competitive, but the added quality came from the Imran Naeem boxer.
Words: Roy Kelly
