“I’m not arrogant, I don’t think I’m something special.”
Nine words, unless you are counting I’m as two words, which sum up WBA International welterweight champion Cyrus Pattinson to a T. From the man himself.
The dust is only just settling now an amazing fight between Pattinson and the equally-incredible Chris Jenkins, won by the Alnwick southpaw at one minute, 34 seconds of round nine, but the memories will live on for a long, long time.
Those of us fortunate to be inside the Utilita Arena, plus those watching at home via DAZN, will doubtless admit they saw something special on Saturday night.
The war fought by two great British welters was special, but, despite his modesty, you have to say Pattinson is indeed something special.
He had to be on the night because the Welshman, a former British and Commonwealth champion, proved there was life left in those 34-year-old arms and legs. He, like Cyrus, gave it everything.
Pattinson was intent on dominating from the first sound of the bell and giving Jenkins no room to manoeuvre and it made for a sensational contest, which punch-lines would describe as one of two halves.
The first half was almost punch-for punch, combination for combination with Pattinson coming forward, letting both hands go, with Jenkins too letting both gloves go, with some telling shots of his own.
Round five was something else as they traded with some pace and intensity. Punch-lines was not privy to the scoring of judges Jean-Robert Laine, Marcus McDonnell and Giuseppe Quartarone, but anything other than a 10 in each fighter’s box would have been a travesty.
That was ‘the’ round of the bout and from the sixth onwards, Pattinson was the man on the up and the eighth saw the 28-year-old throw everything at his rival, whose determination to keep fighting could not be questioned.
Pattinson had just reeled off three impressive rounds and the tide was very much with him, so when he forced back Jenkins in the ninth, Chris’s coach, Gary Lockett gave a wave of the towel and referee Bob Williams applied the finish.
“He could win a British title tomorrow,” declared the excellent Barry Jones, DAZN’s expert summariser who said “his division is littered with loads of quality fights.”
Pattinson triumphed just six fights into his career and probably is ready to be challenging for the British championship, which is currently in the possession of Ekow Essuman, who has not that long ago just completed his fourth successful defence.
It is a title Pattinson would love and he is a man who does not want to hang around though he might be entitled to something a little less taxing next time out.
Last Saturday will make him a star but he and coach Graeme Rutherford won’t want fights like that every time he gets through the ropes.
The Matchroom boxer will take a simple approach, saying: “I’ll take it one fight at a time and try to enjoy it as much as I can.”
Pattinson added that he “couldn’t have wished for a better dance partner” than Jenkins and the way he dealt with the build-up and aftermath, not to mention the war in the middle, suggests he was made for nights like this.
“I didn’t feel the pressure at all, it’s something I’ve worked for a long time for, I was 100 per cent comfortable,” he said. “It’s something I’ve visualised thousands of times.”
Championship nights like Saturday could become something we’ll all get to see. Pattinson is something special, even if he won’t admit it himself.
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Jennifer Charlton
