Forget Riyadh Season. Rainton Season is in full swing.
North-East’s busiest boxing venue in Houghton-le-Spring is set for the second three shows in the space of six weeks, when before Shamrock Promotions come to Rainton Arena on Saturday, November 9.
VIP Promotions have just visited the Co Durham auditorium, where Sunderland prospect Travis Waters, surely on the cusp of something big, moved to 9-0, while there were wins too for his Tenacity team-mate Adam Reichard, Hartlepool’s Jason Cumming and ‘Boro Balboa’ Will Howe.
Jobes Boxing are putting on a spectacular on November 30, when three Northern Area title fights are the highlights of the bill.
First though, Shamrock Promotions have an eight-fight card this coming Saturday headlined by two men, who starred at the ‘War in Walker’ show just 10 weeks ago.
Josh Blenkiron will top the bill against Manchester’s Dan Booth as the decorated former Dunston ABC amateur moves up to eight rounds for the first time.
The 23-year-old, from Sunniside in the top left corner of Co Durham, looks some talent on the evidence of that win in Newcastle at the end of August against Owen Durnan.
He was taken all the way by his opponent, from Sheffield, but ‘Blenka’ showed his ability on both the front and back foot and it will be interesting to see him against ‘The Monk’ who brings a 6-6 record to Houghton.
Blenkiron (pictured above in the black and white of Dunston) provided around 20 minutes of entertainment that night in Walker but it was a case of blink-and-you-might-miss-it in the case of former stand-out Birtley ABC amateur Ben Rees.
Newbiggin’s ‘Big Tasty’ blew away African Hussein Itaba in just 47 seconds and now has Asian opposition at the Rainton Arena against Vijender Kumar, from India.
Rees, now operating out of Jobes Boxing’s Newcastle HQ, has won four in a row having had his debut end in a technical draw after a nasty cut. He looks like a man going places, very quickly too if his last appearance is anything to go by. He fights over six against Kumar.
Also going over six rounds is Wallsend’s Anth Ornsby, who faces what looks a tough test against the aforementioned Durnan.
Ornsby had been scheduled to fight Ewan Mackenzie for the Northern Area title on the November 30 show, but pulled out to box on this event.
It is nice to see Kerry Haley on home soil as the 2-2 Consett fighter meets debutant Claire Watts at Rainton Arena.
Kerry, from Consett, was last in action in the summer when he lost on points over six rounds to unbeaten Nicola Barke on Frank Warren’s show in Belfast.
On the subject of Ireland, there is Irish flavour on Saturday’s card when Armagh’s Bolton-based light-welter Lee Gormley will be aiming for his fourth pro win against Yorkshire’s Jake Pollard.
Three boxers are primed for their professional debuts at the Rainton Arena and punch-lines is particularly excited to witness the first paid punches of Shaun Huddart.
The 21-year-old, another from the Birtley ABC production line of champions, enjoyed a decade of success in the amateur ranks, including glory in the 2022 National Amateur Championships, or ABAs if you prefer, when he won the U54 kilos title against Darren Bailey on a night when team-mates Jack Dryden and Dan Toward both triumphed.
Huddart is now part of the new and exciting Dickinsons School of Boxing team in Fencehouses. It says ‘creator of champions’ on the club badge and you would fancy Shaun’s chances of being one in the pro game.
No opponent has yet been announced for the ex-England international.
Former Kenton ABC star Dylan Phoenix-Morrison will take to the ring for the first time as a professional this Saturday, when he faces Jenson Irving over four rounds.
The Geordie, with a habit of an early finish, is training under former heavyweight boxer of yesteryear, Dom Negus, at the Greenwood-Negus gym in Essex.
Coincidentally, another Morrison is making his pro debut on Shamrock Promotions first visit to the region.
Brandon Morrison, an exciting talent from Washington ABC, having formerly represented Birtley ABC with great success, is matched with a familiar figure in the North-East, Jake Osgood.
The 22-year-old enjoyed his amateur career which saw him become a two-time national champion, while winning four gold medals at Box Cup events.
Words: Roy Kelly
