By Alexey Sukachev
At York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, reigning British light welterweight champion Lenny Daws (21-1-2, 9 KOs) used his vast experience and sharp intellect to outsmart and outtough and ultimately stop rugged but yet too-limited challenger Steve Williams (9-1, 3 KOs) in ten rounds to retain his regalia.
A notorious slow-starter, Daws took the first three to get adjusted to Williams' aggressiveness and slugging approach. 26-year old challenger landed several left hooks and borderline uppercuts to get an edge at the beginning of the bout. However, in round four Daws, making the second defense of his belt in his second reign as a national titleholder, finally found his rhythm. He just invited Williams inside and peppered him with fast left hands while also punishing him on his way in with an educated left jab. Steve Williams got considerably slower - also in the fourth.
From round five it was all Daws. He left Williams without any chances throwing and landing once and again. The challenger showed some heart trying to deliver some war to the champion but failed to take an aim. Daws, on the other hand, easily avoided heated exchanges and used his wise footwork to continuously frustrate much less experienced opponent. Round ten turned to be the last hurray for Williams. With a terrible cut over his right eye he continued to stalk Daws and even had some mild success against a bit fatigued Daws. It turned out that he wasted his own fuel in the tank, so that Williams' corner halted the action immediately after the tenth and the most successful round for their pupil. Good win for Lenny Daws. BoxingScene had it 97-93 - for Daws before the stoppage. Judges had it close giving the champion a two, one and one point edge on their cards.
In a "staying-alive" kind of cross-roader between two fading veterans, Welshman Bradley Pryce (30-8, 18 KOs) once again put his career back on track with a stoppage win over Congolese Ted Bami (26-7, 13 KOs) at the end of the second round. Bami looked superior in comparison with Pryce controlling the flow of the fight in the first couple of rounds. He used his jab and body movement to look better and smarter than Pryce. But at the end of the second, Pryce went at it and landed several terrific shots with a special accent on his right hand that sent Bami down. He was able to beat the count but referee found him (somewhat prematurely) unfit to continue with just five seconds remaining.
Former heavyweight title challenger Matt Skelton (23-5, 20 KOs), at 43, thought he still has it in him. If badly faded cruiserweight Lee Swaby (25-27-2, 11 KOs) is any indication than Skelton really has something left in tank... At least for a possible place at the next heavyweight Prizefighter series. Skelton dominated Swaby for the first four rounds, then scratched his defense with several pitty-pat left moves in the fifth before landing a monstrous right hand at the side of his jaw. Swaby was quick to get up but showed no desire to continue.
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This year light middleweight Prizefighter triumpher Prince Arron (19-3-2, 2 KOs) scored his second career kayo stopping overmatched Tony Randell (11-22-2, 4 KOs) in five one-sided rounds. Polish middleweight banger Grzegorz Proksa (21-0, 14 KOs) stopped tough Latvian Alex Spitko (7-27, 5 KOs) in four.
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Other results:
Michael Lomax (17-2-1, 2 KOs) PTS 6 Stephen Okine (11-9-1, 6 KOs). Score was 59-55.
George Hillyard (10-5-1, 5 KOs) PTS 6 Kieron Grey (5-2, 1 KO). Score was 59-57.
Barry Morrison (18-4, 8 KOs) TKO 2 Billy Smith (12-81-2).
Chris Evangelou (4-0, 1 KO) PTS 4 Aaron Fox (0-4-1). Score was 40-36.