Economides and Goodwin both win to put Chester on the boxing map
The British Masters super-bantamweight contest between champion Shaun Doherty (3-6-3) and Paul Economides (11-2) always promised to be a decent scrap. Not many however expected to see what they saw on Saturday night at the Northgate Arena.
The two fighters put on a contest so brutal that it must be on the shortlist for small hall fight of the year at the BBBC awards dinner. After ten action packed rounds, Chester lad Paul Economides ripped the title away from his Bradford based opponent, but the reputation of both fighters will be enhanced from the display of guts and bravery we saw this night.
Doherty (8st 10lb) started the fight like a house on fire. Economides (8st 9.5lbs) came forward in his usual manner but he was met by snapping shots from Doherty, who would move out of range and as he was followed would throw lefts and rights that knocked Economides’ head back. He also threw Paul to the ground, as if to send a message that he was the stronger man.
As the bell went Economides landed a great left hand but this was a Doherty round. Shaun was moving more than expected, the tactics were spot on. The noise in the arena certainly quietened down, the Chester fans knew their man was in trouble.
Things got worse for Economides at the start of the second round. A huge right hand as Doherty lay against the ropes left Economides reeling into the boundary as Doherty stepped away. I hadn’t seen Economides hurt like this since Stephen Russell snapped his unbeaten record in one brutal round in 2009. I even turned round to my friend ringside and said ‘he’s going’.
He wasn’t going however. He fought back like a tiger and by the end of the round had started to take over with good quality pressure.
This would be a recurring theme of the night. Doherty would start the round well and Economides would take over later in the round. You would be left at the end of the stanza thinking ‘who do I give that to’? I sat on the fence this time and the round was shared.
Economides continued his good work in the third and in the fourth landed a savage right hand when Doherty was against the ropes. Shaun looked hurt, but came back with and landed good shots in later in the round. Still, Economides took it for me.
It was at this point that people may have expected Economides to take over as his pressure took its toll. Doherty was having none of it however and was able to keep the fight at range once again. When he kept the distance he looked absolute class. For him it was a case of dominating like that enough to win the round. Here he certainly did. Economides did some work but nowhere near enough clean shots to win the round.
It was halfway through and I had the fight dead level. No-one had any idea how the fight was going to go and the nerves in the arena were evident.
Once again the sixth round was a case of ‘what you like’. Doherty started the round off brilliantly and on the back of a good fifth I believed the fight could be going away from Economides, who looked to be tiring. Doherty was boxing and moving with a new found energy. It was then that a huge right hand by Economides landed. Doherty was hurt more than anytime else in the fight. That was followed by a huge salvo at the end by Paul. He had found some energy from somewhere and the bell was brilliantly timed for Doherty. I gave the round level due to how hurt Doherty seemed but the Doherty fan club will point to the two minutes dominance at the start. It was that kind of fight.
Doherty started quickly in the seventh but Economides took over, working the body well. This would be symptomatic of the last few rounds. Doherty would start well but the good times wouldn’t last as long and the Economides attacks would be more brutal.
Doherty started the eighth knowing he needed a big round. The stinging shots from the early part of the fight were back. For a minute and a half he looked as he could turn the fight round in his favour. Unsurprisingly Economides bit down on his gum shield and came back hard, landing thudding shots at the end. I gave the round to Economides but a share would not have been out of order.
Paul had a big round in the ninth. There was less work from Doherty and Economides worked his opponent over for the full three minutes. Doherty never looked liked getting stopped, even though he was getting hurt. Doherty must be one of the toughest pros in the country. But the tide was now flowing in Economides’ direction. He was starting to dominate.
The tenth and final round began with Doherty throwing everything at Economides, knowing he probably needed a knockout. It wouldn’t come as Economides threw the kitchen sink back at him. Doherty was hurt but there was no way he was going down. The bell rang and Economides had his hand raised. He had done it. After all the trials and tribulations he had become a champion. The score was announced as 98-94 to Economides. This tallied with my card but I suspect some may have had it a couple of rounds closer.
The right man had won though even if it was sad to see Doherty lose his title after what he had given us on this magical evening.
Economides rises to 11-2 and will now go on to bigger nights. Doherty falls to 3-6-3 (1KO) and hasn’t had possession of his last belt, he will come again, mark my words.
Earlier in the night Chris Goodwin (9st 7.5lbs) had become Chester’s first champion by defeating Geoffrey Munika (9st 11.5lbs) for the International Masters lightweight title over 10 x3’s. Munika had become champion when he knocked out Ryan Barrett a few months ago but managed to lose his title on the scales when he came in firstly 4.5lbs overweight, then after two hours of work 2.5lbs over. The fight went ahead as scheduled but Goodwin was the only man who could win the title (it remaining vacant if Munika managed to pull it off).
The common consensus around Chester was that Goodwin would attempt to keep the fight at range, neutralising Munika’s dangerous attacks. This proved to be totally inaccurate as Chris stayed inside and bullied the bully. A left hand to the body in the first hurt the visitor and the scene was set from then on in. Munika was unable to get any work off, mainly concentrating on not getting punched too hard.
The rounds mirrored each other to an extent, great jab, use of angles and an opponent who was being made to look very ordinary. This was supposed to be a war and Goodwin was making it look too easy.
The sixth saw Goodwin move in and out of range beautifully and pin Munika against the ropes at the end of the round.
Round seven was by far and away Munika’s best session. Geoffrey was throwing pretty poor punches but they were landing and Goodwin wasn’t doing enough clean work to negate it. Finally Munika had won a stanza, but would it lead to a comeback?
No is the simple answer. After a scrappier eight which Goodwin won, the Chester man had a brilliant ninth. The fight was up close and personal. If Munika threw shots then Goodwin would counter beautifully. I got the impression that if Munika was able to do more, then Goodwin would look better.
After a tenth that followed the same pattern as the rest of the fight, Goodwin had his arm raised and was declared the winner by a score of 99-92. As the score was announced Munika carried Goodwin aloft around the ring, a sign of the respect he had for the victor. Goodwin had become champion.
Some people may say that The Chester lad was fighting a man who was weight drained and had an easy nights work. I disagree. I believe that Munika maybe gave up trying to make the limit a while ago, hence the incredible 4.5lbs failure at the first time of asking. Goodwin put on a classy performance and is ready for another step up. Promoters Fight Options may just have found themselves a star.
Goodwin rises to 13-1-1 and will look to step on from here. Munika falls to 21-12-2 (12 KO) and will have serious questions to answer about either his weight division or his preparation. For a man who has been such a good servant of the game all around the world, I hope it is the former.
When I first saw Chester light-middleweight Joe Lovell making his debut last December and in the process making Carl Allen look like a novice I really did think we had a special talent on our hands. Ten months later,after a period of inactivity and a change of trainer, Lovell (10st 10lbs) returned against Andrew Patterson of Birmingham (10st 11lbs) and didn’t look like he had missed a beat.
He started off beautifully with wonderful combinations to body and head. Quickly a cut opened above the left eye of Patterson and the night looked like it could be a painful one for the visitor.
Patterson is made of sterner stuff than that however. After receiving a great left uppercut and some hard combo’s at the start of round two he managed to get on the front foot. Lovell was able to show his skills on the back foot but was being stopped form employing the brutal assaults of the first round.
The third round was another good session. Patterson stayed on the offensive and Lovell was pot-shotting with classy single blows. After a dominant fourth, the hand of Lovell was raised and he was declared the winner by a score of 40-36. Lovell had received a good workout, one that will stand him in good stead in future fights.
I have seen two novices in the last year who have made me sit up and take real notice. One was Francis Luke Robinson (Steve Robinson’s son) and the other is Joe Lovell. Lovell is for me is one of the best prospects in the country. A stellar amateur with a great pro style it is up to him whether he stays active and achieves what he those around him know he can. Joe Lovell, it is over to you.
Lovell rises to 2-0. Patterson falls to 4-21-3 (4KO)
Controversy of the night came when unbeaten Stoke super-featherweight Andy Keates (9st 8lbs) came out with a hotly contested victory over Youseff Al-Hamidi (9st 12lbs). Keates, who had become a Father for the first time in the week started well in the first, getting behind a solid jab and doing all the work.
Now I will admit it, I always felt that becoming a Father and defeating Hamidi in the space of a few days was going to be tough. And so it proved when in the second Hamidi started landing some classy single blows. Keates tried to match it, but the classier shots gave Hamidi the round on my card. Another good session for Youseff in the third led to a final round which, for me, Keates needed to win.
Andy started the round well and was taking the session after two minutes. It was then that Hamidi launched an assault that left Andy in trouble for the first time in his pro career. The bell came at the right time for Keates but much to the shock of many people ringside, Andy had his hand raised. He was awarded the fight by a score of 39-38.
Now this wasn’t a total robbery, Keates had success even in rounds that to me, he lost. It would just seem that the referee was very generous in his interpretation of the rounds. There will be better, and easier nights for Andy I am sure.
Keates rises to 3-0 and can now get used to the sleepless night that parenthood brings. Hamidi falls to 9-37-2 (1KO) and will feel hard done by.
Prestatyn’s ‘Discoball’ Paul Davies (9st 11.5lbs) returned from his shocking first round defeat against Scott Moises last time out with a routine 40-37 victory over Kristian Laight of Nuneaton (9st 10lbs) over 4×3’s.
The first couple of rounds saw Davies pick off his opponent in a more measured manner than when he got stopped last time out. Laight was as ever, never in any trouble as he endeavoured to get through the rounds and move on to his next pay day.
By the third round however Laight was having a bit more success. Davies was winning the round but it was obvious that Kristian thought he might as well have a go. The fourth saw Laight probably have his best round for months as he was able to pick off his opponent at times. Davies was the obvious winner but centurion Laight had put up a good show.
Davies rises to 4-1 and is a work in progress. Laight falls to 6-105-6 and remains a safe, dependable opponent.
Lee Quinn of Colwyn Bay made his debut when he faced off against Russell Pearce of Welshpool over 4 x 3’s.
The fight began well for Quinn who looked confident and got down to work quickly. He landed a number of telling blows, including a right to the body followed by a right uppercut. His work belied his age.
The battle would come to an end in the second round as a beautiful right hand sent Pearce to the canvas. Pearce rose bravely but the referee saw no point in letting the fight continue and stopped the fight. Quinn had got his first victory. For those watching it seems apparent that it will be the first of many as he starts the long journey under trainer Shane Thomas.
Quinn rises to 1-0 (1KO). Pearce falls to 2-9-2 and needs to watch how often he is getting stopped.
The show opener featured another debutant fighting out of the ‘Tom Doran gym’. Cameron Halfpenny of Mold (10st 7lbs) took on Sean Gorman of Aberystwyth (10st 7lbs) over 4 x3’s in what the home fighter hopes will be his first step on the way to stardom.
It would be fair to say that Halfpenny took a little bit longer to get into the swing of things, as opposed to Lee Quinn who hit the ground running. The first round was devoid of any clean work from either fighter as both constantly missed with their attempted punches.
Gorman began the second round well but as things continued Halfpenny came more into it, a big salvo at the end clinching the session. The third and fourth were far better for Halfpenny as he began to dominate behind a good jab and started to show the class his amateur pedigree hinted at. The final bell went and the referee raised his arm and awarded him the fight with a deserved score of 40-37.
Halfpenny rises to 1-0 and is only 18. He has plenty of time to develop. From what we saw in the later rounds there is a lot of talent to work with. Gorman falls to 1-7 (1KO) and could turn into one of the better journeymen on the scene.
So this was the night that Chester boxing, with the help of promoters Fight Options, really stamped its mark on the domestic scene. Nobody knows what will happen in the future but one thing is for certain. After all the struggles, the setbacks, the night watching other people win titles wondering if it would ever be them doing it, Paul Economides and Chris Goodwin brought the titles home.
The genie is now out of the bottle, it may be hard for it to be put back in.
Source BoxRec News
