Ellis Corrie picked the perfect time to produce the first stoppage win of his career when he beat Tom Hill to become Northern Area champion.
The Darlington star floored his rival midway through round four of their showdown for the vacant welterweight belt at the Rainton Meadows Arena.
Hill was up at seven but not looking that steady. Referee Ron Kearney gave the 24-year-old a chance but once he came under fire in the red corner, the Sunderland official, correctly, stepped in to halt the headline bout at two minutes, one second of the fourth.
It was exciting stuff while it lasted and a brilliant finish by the 22-year-old who becomes the first Northern Area winner in two years.
The main support bout went the distance but was no less exciting completing a good night for coach Imran Naeem who also assisted Pete Shepperson in Corrie’s corner in the title shoot-out.
Joe Maphosa was simply irresistible as he outpointed Marius Vysniauskas in his first eight-rounder.
The 25-year-old Thornaby boxer threw everything at the former international amateur champion in the last three minutes, only for the Lithuanian to hold on to the end. “Smokin’ Joe” won it 79-73 on Mr Kearney’s scorecard.
The event, promoted by Phil Jeffries and Steve Wraith was coined as ‘Christmas Cracker’ and it certainly lived up to the billing. Punch-lines will run through the undercard in bout order.
Anth Ornsby opened the show with a very good performance against Belfast’s, Alec Bazza, winning 40-35. The O’Tooles-based Wallsend boxer put the popular Irishman down in he last but Bazza made it to the last bell.
Punch-lines has said it before, but Alex Farrell is some talent.
The Greek/ Geordie/ Peterlee boxer clinched his third consecutive victory and his first inside the distance when referee Kevin Weaver called a halt at two minutes, 59 seconds of round three.
Walsall’s Kearon Thomas was a game opponent but he was felled twice by body shots from the ruthless David Binns middleweight,
Gateshead flyweight Jeff Nesham made it two wins from two when he produced a skillful display to defeat Batley’s Nabil Ahmed. Kevin Weaver refereed with Mr Kearney scoring it 40-36 from ringside for the Danny Moir-trained boxer.
Some brutal assaults characterised April Hunter’s second professional success when she knocked Monika Antonik from pillar to post. And back again.
The Pole did well to survive to the end of the fourth, Mr Kearney scoring it 40-36 to Howdon’s golden girl.
On the subject of Eastern European visitors, the Czech Republic’s Jiri Svacina started off looking the part against Middlesbrough cruiserweight Michael Webster.
But after being decked the end looked nigh especially as the Teessider dished out a lot of stick at the end of the first. So it proved as a damaged left eye prompted a retirement on his stool ahead of round two.
Newcastle met Russia in the next as Mark Taylor marked his return, forgive the pun, with a fine win over Sergey Martirosyan.
Matty Jobes-trained star Taylor, boxing for the first time in 21 months, used his height, reach and jab to good effect to win 40-37 on Mr Kearney’s card, with the St Petersburg boxer having a burst each round and a good last three minutes.
While Taylor had been out for some time, the final attraction on the undercard had been absent for what seems a lifetime.
But it was a joy to see Rob Ismay back after six years out as he made it a Wallsend Boxing Academy and Nik Gittus double after April’s earlier onslaught.
Some of the old skill was very much still there with some rapid combinations in the first and fourth rounds a feature of his 39-37 win over the Czech Republic’s Miroslav Pavek.
Don’t wait another six years for the next one Isy.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
