By Terence Dooley
Derby—It was a night of firsts at the Derby Arena tonight on a Mick Hennessy-promoted bill.
It is the first time the event has hosted televised boxing, courtesy of Channel 5, and Trowbridge’s Nick “Bang Bang” Blackwell (11st 5lbs 1oz) topped the bill with his maiden defence of the British middleweight title he won when stopping John Ryder for the vacant belt at London’s O2 Arena in May.
Leeds-based contender Damon Jones (11st 5lbs 50z) was in the opposite corner. The 22-year-old held an unblemished 13-0 (3 KOs with one No Contest) slate going into his first crack at the Lonsdale belt.
Blackwell has three reverses on his ledger plus a draw, but he kept coming back despite, or maybe because of, his setbacks to upset Ryder.
The 24-year-old had two unsuccessful British title tilts prior to winning the belt—L RTD 5 and L12 to Martin Murray and Billy Joe Saunders respectively—so he knows how much the title means to British boxers.
Despite their differing levels of experience, Jones started brightly from his southpaw stance.
Blackwell, though, adapted to Ryder, another portsider, last time out and started to find his range as the fight progressed—although there were spots of blood on his left cheek by the end of round three.
It became a battle between Blackwell’s velocity and ferocity and the challenger’s neater punch picking—with a lingering sense that the champion’s punch power might prove to be the key to victory.
This suspicion was confirmed in the sixth when a booming right hand bowled Jones over after he went to the ropes despite boxing much better when on the move and seeking to counter the oncoming title-holder.
Jones dragged himself up, but referee Victor Loughlin wisely waved if off. He had shown some class only to be punished for a moment of bravado, a lesson learned for the future.
“I’m buzzed up,” said Blackwell (18-3-1, 8 early). “I’ve been working on that right hand counter in the gym and it came off. I knew he was trying to out-box me because of his amateur background, but there wasn’t no power there so I knew he’d tire if I put the pressure on him.
“The counters were clean, but weren’t bothering me at all to be honest. I was catching him with the body shots, slowing him down and didn’t think he’d get up (after the knockdown).”
“He's a diamond in the rough, we've got high hopes for Nick,” added Hennessy.
Also on the card, heavyweight prospect Hughie Fury (16-0, 8 KOs) dominated George Arias (56-13, 42 KOs) over ten rounds to win an easy unanimous decision. All three judges scored it 100-90.
Please send news and views to @Terryboxing.