A trio of unbeaten North-East stars provided an exciting finish to Friday night’s big Newcastle show.
Joe Laws, Troy Williamson and Lawrence Osueke reeled off wins following a forgettable title fight.
Whether the organisers were psychic or not, their decision to put Laws on after the main event was an inspired one.
Undefeated MTK Irish super bantamweight Tyrone McCullagh had just retained his WBO European title with a unanimous points verdict against Alvaro Rodriguez.
The Derry man deserved his 98-92 (twice) and 96-94 success but, let’s just say it was not the best of spectacles.
A match between Joe Laws and Geiboord Omier (4-38-1) looked destined for an early night, but it turned out to be 12minutes of high octane stuff with referee Ron Kearney awarding the ‘Benwell Bomber’ a 40-36 scoreline.
Laws, who had Imran Naeem and Pete Shepperson in his corner, didn’t just chuck the kitchen sink at the Spanish-based Nicaraguan, he threw the fridge-freezer and washing machine.
Omier didn’t hide or cover up and even gave it a go in the first and the start of the second but for the remainder of the fight took a full Laws assault.
Credit to Omier for getting through the four while the ‘Bomb Squad’ loved the show, one young lady so much she stripped off and ‘streaked’ in only a thong before a steward offered her his high-vis jacket. What a gent.
How could you follow a top Laws performance and a topless intruder?
With Troy Williamson that’s how.
If this fella doesn’t fight for the British title, there is no justice.
The Darlington middleweight, like Laws, hit his opponent, Ionut Illie, with everything but the the Romanian could only tough it out for so long, the red corner pulling out their man after round two, Mr Kearney accepting their retirement.
Newcastle’s excellent Lawrence Osueke put the seal on the event with a comprehensive 60-54 against another overseas visitor. Tayer Mehmed winced in pain and held on numerous times as the Steve Wraith-managed light-heavy went through the gears.
Just like the previous two contests, the fans loved it but everyone kept their tops on, bar Loz.
MTK produced a slick event of one 10×3, one 8×3, seven 6x3s and two 4x3s.
A four-rounder opened the promotion, Durham’s Adam Gair jabbing superbly on his way to a 39-37 victory on debut against Pawel Strykowski who nicked the last round.
John Green also lost the last round, suffering a naughty cut to the right eye to boot, but the Middlesbrough lightweight had won the previous five sessions against Tamworth’s Josh Baillie.
Following his 59-55 victory and a handful of stitches, Green returned to ringside to watch Darren Reay canter to a 60-54 victory over Eligio Palacios.
The Bedlington boxer set a good pace to win with ease and will now face Green for the Northern Area title later this year.
Next came an all-Eastern European affair (and a very entertaining one) as Kazakhstan’s Nurtas Azhbenov outpointed Boris Shikunov, but only just, with the Russian pipped 58-57 on referee Phil Edwards’ scorecard.
On the subject of Eastern Europeans, Ivan Godor was sent to the canvas by two crisp Jay Hughes right hands in the second round of their bout. The Bulgarian got up and held on to the Trimdon fighter for much of the rest of the match, Mr Edwards marking it 60-52.
A Tyne-Tees ‘V’ derby followed between two big chaps making journeys in the opposite direction.
Middlesbrough’s ex-Commonwealth Games gold medallist Simon Vallily is on his way up to heavyweight while Jone Volau is slimming down to cruiser.
Vallily put down the Newcastle crowd-favourite late in the second and with his count at eight, Mr Kearney called it off.
Chad Ellis is really putting his stuff together and the Spennymoor welterweight impressed from first bell to last for a 60-54 shut-out of Newark’s Fonz Alexander.
Words: Roy Kelly
