Ring masters!

JOE EKO . . . cheered on by a vociferous home crowd, the welterweight triumphed in convincing fashion.

Boxing:

BOARSHAW ABC’s latest annual boxing tournament at the Middleton Arena proved to be a big hit.

The bouts had mixed results for Boarshaw’s popular head coach and event organiser Ben Lancaster.

Clayton flyweight Tommy Ellesmore got the better of Harry McCarrick, while in the welterweight division, Jamie Carr lost out by the judges’ unanimous decision against the impressive Alex McCloy, from Fleetwood.

The Fleetwood club also secured a great result when Ben Pitman out-pointed Boarshaw’s Reece John Duoba in the light-heavyweight division, while home fighter Callum Nuttall was edged out by the awkward Kirk Cawthorne (Macclesfield), who won the bout by a majority decision at the same weight.

The stars of the show as far as the host club were concerned were light-middleweight prospect Matthew Ravey and welterweight Joe Eko.

Ravey was tricky and lively throughout his bout against Aaron Murphy, also from Macclesfield, and bagged a unanimous points victory from the judges.

It was a similar story for Eko, who convincingly saw off the challenge of William Wood from Sharples ABC.

The rowdiest reception of the night came ahead of the final bout featuring Boarshaw’s England star John Newell in the light-heavyweight division.

But a swinging right-hand from opponent Ben Broadhurst from the Castle Hill Police club floored Newell in the final of three, three-minute rounds, and the home favourite went on to lose a majority points verdict.

Lancaster might well have been a little disappointed with his fighters’ results on the night, but his club and boxing in general were huge winners.



OLDHAM’S Ashley Mayall suffered his third defeat in six professional bouts on Saturday.

The 20-year-old light-welterweight hopeful took on unbeaten home favourite Sam O’Maison at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield, and was knocked-out in the first round.

Kell Brook topped the bill and knocked-out Vyacheslav Senchenko in the fourth to win his IBF welterweight title eliminator.