Tonights main event was an excellent contest as British light welterweight champion Lenny Daws 20-1-2 (8) looked a shade unlucky to only draw with Jason Cook 26-3-1 (13) at the York Hall, London.
At the bell Cook came out prowling looking to use his good jab and trying to zero in with his big left hook. Midway through the 1st, Cook landed the left and Daws wobbled back towards the ropes. Cook unloaded but Daws tied his man up when possible and fiddled through to the bell.
Rounds two, three and four were quite close affairs but Cook was surprising Daws with an excellent jab and surprising hand speed to probably win most of them. Daws who likes to use a high punch output style was unable to find a rythym as the Cook jab landed time and time again. However Daws landed a good left hook in the sixth but the champion was probably a couple of points down at the halfway stage.
In the second half of the fight, Daws as he has done before started to put down the accelerator. Cook was now having to fight harder than he would have wished as Daws upped the tempo. Cook did reasonably well to stay with Daws until around the ninth when Daws started to take complete control.
Daws had an excellent round in the 10th with several hooks when fighting inside and in the eleventh Cook really was starting to wilt. It was all Daws in the final round, a body shot visibly hurt Cook and he fell to the canvas a couple of times through tiredness. It took all of Cooks knowledge and experience to get through to the final bell.
Considering the dramatic swing in the second half of the fight it seemed as though Daws won the fight by around two or three points. However after the MC rightly asked for another round of applause from the crowd for an excellent battle, the scorecards came in. Judge Victor Loughlin scored it 115-114 to Cook, Terry O’Connor saw it 115-114 for Daws and Mark Green had it 114 apiece meaning a draw.
At the announcement, Daws looked very disappointed with the result whilst Cook even admitted that he may have been a point or two behind at the end. Cook though proved at thirty fours years of age he still has something in the tank.
Tonights fight was very entertaining and a mention to both fighters who fought very sportingly at all times.
Scouser Steve Williams 9-0 (3) won the vacant English light welterweight title after a spirited battle with fellow prospect Michael Grant 12-2-1 (1). Grant used his box and move tactics and employed flashy combinations while Williams looked to come forward and land big shots. Grant was cut badly in his last fight and this eye started to swell early in the fight. Grant is a lovely boxer but started to look a bit dispirited around the halfway stage . It didn’t help that Grant has very limited power which enabled Williams to start wearing him down. Williams hurt Grant ( who had never been past 6 rounds ) in the seventh but Grant fought back gamely. At the end of 10 rounds, it looked a very close fight but Williams deserved his win which he got by scores of 97-94 (twice) and 96-95.
As predicted unbeaten Pole Grzegorz Proska 20-0 (13) comfortable won the vacant European ( EU version ) with a 5th round win over Tyan Booth 11-6-1 (2). Booth was given a count in the fifth before being stopped.
By JIMMY LAST (EDITOR)
