Stubbs cut to the quick in defeat

BLOOD AND THUNDER . . . Darren Stubbs was on the receiving end of an early onslaught from Bob Ajisafe.

BOXING:

OLDHAM fighter Darren Stubbs was beaten by Bob Ajisafe in a one-sided affair at Oldham Sports Centre.

Following an extensive training schedule, the 39-year-old Shaw scrapper had high hopes ahead of the bout, which was chief support to Lee Purdy v Craig Watson.

But from the first bell southpaw Ajisafe looked far more composed and he unleashed an impressive left, right, left combination after a matter of seconds which visibly shook Stubbs, who had the backing of more than 200 supporters.

A strong right hook brought welcome respite after two testing minutes, but an Ajisafe missile left Stubbs with a nasty cut above the left eye and he was unsteady on his feet.

Buoyed by the home support he made a better fist of it in the second and got away his one big attack of the night with a powerful right which penetrated his opponent’s defence, but didn’t do sufficient damage. In fact it only served to rile Ajisafe, who caught Stubbs with a right jab which opened up another wound.

Proceedings stopped so the medical team could take a closer look at the injury — but with the resumption only 20 seconds later, it merely delayed the inevitable.

Stubbs’ trainer Jack Doughty had no issue with the decision to halt the bout, but feels his man could have worn down Leeds fighter Ajisafe had it gone the distance.

He said: “The first cut was manageable because it was relatively small, but the second one was wide and deep, and the doctor insisted it was too risky to continue.

“When Ajisafe's trainer came in to see us afterwards, Darren told him he would have won if it had gone all the way, because he sensed Ajisafe tiring.

“To be fair, Ajisafe outclassed Darren in the early rounds, he looked so busy that he would have won them all on points.

“But Darren saw something that made him think he could win. At the end of the second round he said Ajisafe looked frightened, so I told him to get closer, but that was easier said than done.

“Darren has lots of heart and I am sure he will want to dust himself down and go again.”