CHERRELLE BROWN won the vacant WBC International female super-lightweight title, taking a unanimous verdict over Wolverhampton’s game Kirstie Bavington at York Hall.
At the end of 10-twos, all three officials scored widely for Brown – though there was some confusion over the actual tallies. Eventually they were confirmed as 98-91 for Mark Bates, 99-90 (announced as 99-98) for Jurgen Langos and 100-89 (announced as 100-95) for Anssi Perajoki.
The scores took into account a point deduction for Bavington in the sixth, for persistently failing to obey referee Lee Cook’s instructions – but did not reflect the loser’s spirited showing. Bavington came forward throughout, looking to get close and land, and Brown – who has now won six straight – frequently held, to the fury of Bavington’s corner.
Brown (Islington) countered well and hit harder. She tried to keep it long, but was often thwarted by Bavington’s swarming tactics. A right to the head had Bavington holding on in the fifth, and Bavington finished with a swelling on the right cheek.
Mitcham’s Jumanne Camero inflicted first defeat on Edgware’s Alex Ananivi, taking referee Cook’s 58-56 verdict after six good-value rounds.
Going in, Ananavi was 3-0 while Camero had lost five of his last six (including the last three). But southpaw Camero, a former Southern Area lightweight champion, took control from the outset, continually forcing Ananivi onto the defensive. A right to the head had Ananivi looking unsteady in the second.
Ananivi tried to move and counter, but two solid lefts in the fourth had no effect. Now sporting a bump under the right eye, Ananivi launched an attack in the last – but it was too little, too late.
Two weeks previously, Lithuanian Vaida Masiokaite – a former Cherrelle Brown victim – impressed here by holding Sam Smith to a draw. But she found WIBF super-featherweight champion Kallia Kourouni far tougher, going down by 79-73 over eight-twos.
As early as the first I noted “K too powerful?” – and so it proved. Against Smith, Masiokaite scored points with clever counter-punching – but the strong Greek simply walked through it all and landed solidly in close.
Masiokaite hit back when she could, and raised a bump under Kourouni’s left eye – but was frequently pressured to the ropes and forced to hold. Mark Bates refereed.
Chris Bourke (Streatham) made it four straight, all inside-schedule, with a sixth-round injury stoppage of Liverpool’s Ricky Starkey.
Starkey was wrestled down early in the session, and when he rose he was bleeding badly from the nose. Referee Cook examined him carefully before ordering them to box on, and a Starkey attack had Bourke holding on – but with the wound gushing blood Mr Cook called a halt after 0-48 of the last round. Initially furious, Starkey sportingly raised Bourke’s arm.
Southpaw Bourke pressed forward and generally dominated, though was forced to hold briefly in the second. Starkey had a long graze on the right cheek and a swelling on the left eyebrow, and Bourke had a bump under the left eye.
Romanian Lucian Atana won his pro debut with a third-round stoppage of Miroslav Pavek (Czech Republic) in a scheduled four.
The shorter, fleshy Pavek tried to come inside but Atana scored consistently at long range. In the third Pavek claimed a low blow, which was disallowed – and a two-fisted attack from Atana prompted referee Bates to call it off after 2-06.
Southpaw Chris Busi (Onwuegbusi in the amateurs) also won his debut, taking referee Bates’ 40-37 verdict over Southwark-based Italian Victor Edagha over four.
Another portsider, Hoddesdon’s Alfie Price, had an entertaining battle with Hungarian Zoltan Szabo, taking their six-rounder by 59-56 for referee Bates. He now challenges Southern Area lightweight champion Jeff Ofori on Mo Prior’s next York Hall show on September 14.
Southern Area super-flyweight champion Ricky Little (Southampton) was given a fair argument by Lithuanian Marius Vysniauskas – but used his longer reach, put his shots together well and took referee Cook’s 59-57 verdict over six.
Out since December, Dagenham’s Robin Dupre scaled two stone heavier than ever before – and took referee Bates’ 40-36 verdict over Hoddesdon’s Colin Goldhawk over four.
Ollie Pattison (London Colney) outworked Darwen’s willing Luke Blackledge over six, and took Mr Bates’ 59-55 verdict. Blackledge was cut in the corner of the left eye.
Jordan Blake (Ilford) floored Walsall’s Keiron Thomas in the second, with a right to the head, raised a swelling on his left cheek, and took referee Cook’s 40-35 verdict over four.
In fours, referee Cook had Naylor Ball (Iver) beating Swindon’s Phil Williams by 39-38 and Tooting’s Simeon Preddie beating Richard Samuels (Thornton Heath) by 40-37; and there were 40-36 wins for Norris Thompson (Enfield) over Brierley Hill’s MJ Hall (Bates) and Kaylem Foreman (Carshalton) over Yeovil’s Bryn James(Cook).
During the evening 10 bells were rung to mark the passing of former four-weight world champion Pernell Whitaker.
THE VERDICT: Brown moves on, but beaten Bavington can take heart.
FULL RESULTS: Cherrelle Brown (139lbs 6oz), 6-0 (2), w pts 10 Kirstie Bavington (139 1/4lbs), 2-1-1 (1); Simeon Preddie (152lbs 10oz), 2-0, w pts 4 Richard Samuels (152lbs 2oz), 1-7; Chris Busi (160lbs 14oz), 1-0, w pts 4 Victor Edagha (160 1/4lbs), 2-61-2 (1);Chris Bourke (123lbs 14oz), 4-0 (4), w rsf 6 Ricky Starkey (126lbs 6oz), 2-15-2;Ricky Little (115 1/2lbs), 5-2-1 (1), w pts 6 Marius Vysniauskas (116lbs 3oz), 2-2 (1); Robin Dupre (236lbs 14oz), 14-2 (1), w pts 4 Colin Goldhawk (266lbs 14oz), 2-7 (1); Alfie Price (138lbs 14oz), 6-0, w pts 6 Zoltan Szabo (139 3/4lbs), 25-21 (11); Kallia Kourouni (140lbs 10oz), 10-2 (1), w pts 8 Vaida Masiokaite (138lbs 6oz), 1-6-2 (1); Naylor Ball (239lbs 2oz), 6-1 (1), w pts 4 Phil Williams (239lbs 6oz), 2-14-1 (1); Ollie Pattison (175lbs 10oz), 10-0, w pts 6 Luke Blackledge(173lbs 10oz), 26-8-2 (9); Jumanne Camero (151lbs 6oz), 8-6 (2), w pts 6 Alex Ananivi (152lbs), 3-1; Norris Thompson (149lbs 14oz), 2-0, w pts 4 MJ Hall(149lbs 2oz), 0-41-2; Kaylem Foreman (161 1/4lbs), 2-0, w pts 4 Bryn Wain(168lbs), 0-28; Lucian Atana (255 3/4lbs)1-0 (1), w rsf 3 Miroslav Pavek (264 1/4bs), 1-9; Jordan Blake (165lbs 6oz), 3-0, w pts 4 Kearon Thomas (165lbs 2oz), 0-2-1.
