Every mission, every project, call it what you will, always has to have a starting point.
And in boxing, with the exception of a title bout, a debut can often prove the hardest to negotiate.
For Boss Boxing, the North-East’s newest promoters, they are off the mark. It was a testing first toe in the promotional water but they are afloat.
Danny Inskip had gone all out for a bold start with a Prizefighter-style tournament at Rainton Arena, spearheaded by Co Durham talent Mark Dickinson, with a supporting cast which featured Robbie Colman, Jason Cumming, Shaun Huddart and Ben Rees.
Colman was an early ‘casualty’ though he had a good excuse as he was involved in a Northern Area Championship re-match with Josh Blenkiron, with ‘The Showman’ prevailing in Altrincham.
Boss Boxing were left with two semi-finals, three support bouts and a grand final.
It would all go wrong on Friday morning when Dickinson pulled out after feeling unwell. Inskip could have cut his losses and called it off.
But the show went on with five bouts with two boxers coming up from “The Smoke” at the 11th hour to plug the gaps left by Dickinson and Boris Crighton, who withdrew once the competition fell apart.
It was therefore left to Cumming, Rees and Huddart to hold the event together.
Star of the gig was a 5-0 prospect from Hartlepool who climbed off the canvas to beat Yahir Morales, a boxer with TYSON tattooed large across his chest.
Cumming is just 22 and, unlike Huddart and Rees (both ex-Birtley men) is a boxer with limited amateur experience.
But as a professional his passion eclipses any pedigree issues, tearing into opponents with his moniker ’The Engine’ most apt.
He didn’t waste any time letting loose with his combinations against the head of Morales.
After being encouraged by coach Peter Cope to get his jab going, Cumming’s jab and double jab came to the fore through rounds two to four, with forceful rights driving into the 20-year-old from Guadalajara.
Anyone known as ‘El Tyson’ should be acknowledged for presenting clear and present danger and he chucked some leather of his own, though Cumming brought the greater volume.
But in the fifth Morales thundered a left hook to the head of Cumming who hit the canvas. He was up by three on referee Danny McFarlane’s count and his response was strong, taking the fight to his opponent.
Cumming was back on the offensive in the final round too which was just as well given Mr McFarlane’s final tally.
Jason celebrated as MC Billy Hardy delivered the score 57-56. Punch-lines had it a point wider, but you could not quibble with the official’s view.
It was a terrific scrap and a good learning fight for Cumming, whose record extends to 6-0.
Rees registered win number seven with a dominant display against Pavol Garaj.
The Newbiggin southpaw looked extremely focused and chucked some heavy shots to the heady and body of the Slovakian veteran.
The Jobes Boxing star looked to utilise the right to the body but Garaj would not budge.
Pavel was down at the end of a violent fourth, though Mr McFarlane decreed it was a slip with the 39-year-old making it through to the last bell.
Mr McFarlane scored it a 60-54 shut-out.
It was the same tally in the show-closer as Huddart controlled matters from start to finish against that most rare of items. A boxer from Peru.
Diminutive Diego Tananta indulged in a few wild swings, but the precision came from the Gateshead boxer decked out in black and white.
“Box don’t fight” demanded Jacob Dickinson from the home corner during round two and the 22-year-old followed instructions with probably the third the pick of the sessions.
Shaun moved to 5-0 and hopefully he’ll be out again soon.
There were two other fights and punch-lines uses the word fight advisably. That is no disrespect to Grant Dennis, Jordan Grannum, Adrian Redman and Robbie Chapman whose feel-out jabs would knock this chubby fella into next week.
Dennis and Redman, who were due to tackle Crighton and Dickinson in the tournament, had six-round shuffles with Grannum and Chapman, who accepted late requests to come up from London.
For the record, Dennis outpointed Grannum, from Islington, 60-55, the seasoned Chatham campaigner’s first W in 13 bouts, while Harlesden’s Redman clinched pro victory number 10 with a 59-55 success against ‘Camden Caretaker’ Chapman in an all North London meeting.
Words: Roy Kelly
