It’s show-time!
Reporter: Chris Lynham
Date published: 12 July 2011
BOXING: ORGANISER Eric Noi hailed the ‘Oldham vs the rest’ amateur boxing show at Queen Elizabeth Hall as the most culturally diverse event he has ever witnessed.
Noi, who runs Oldham Boxing and Personal Development Centre, put together the show in order to raise money for the redevelopment of the club’s new gym on Greaves Street.
He said: “I looked around at the 600 fans and saw every possible race and creed, people from
a variety of backgrounds socialising and enjoying the show.
“I see this show — the first of its kind at Queen Elizabeth Hall for more than 20 years — as a step forward.
“As for the fights themselves, as I predicted nearly all of them were close affairs.”
In the schoolboy category, the centre’s Kalim Hayder enjoyed a winning debut after a unanimous decision against Konna Cain (Collyhurst), as did team-mate Will Crawley, at the expense of Bredbury and Stockport fighter Rowan Albus.
Danyal Khan made it a clean sweep for the local lads — he saw off unbeaten Frankie Perry (Collyhurst) with a unanimous decision.
Juniors action saw Failsworth’s Greg Kelly lose out to Hamza Ali Khan (Dynamics) after the referee stopped the contest.
Home boxer Waqas Hussain made a bright start against the superb Jack Rafferty (Northside) before Rafferty stepped it up and got the nod from the judges.
Oldham’s Mohammad Hussain edged a majority thumbs-up against Positive Impacts’ Wesley Burns.
In the seniors, Danny Connor — cheered on by the home faithful — survived the powerful threat of southpaw Duane Sandiland (Wolves Den) to earn a points decision.
There were points victories for Hyde and District’s Cristian Lamb against Ansul Hadid (Gorton, and Hussian Gelaeve (Gorton), at the expense of Malthouse’s Warren Stevenson.
