Boxing Clever
It’s a new year and here at Fight Options we are hoping to build on the success we had all the way through 2011. It was a year that put Chester boxing on the map. It was the year that all the hard work came to fruition, where all the tough days at the gym bore fruit. 2011 was the best year in Chester boxing history.
Lets go back and talk about the achievements of our boys, starting off with Paul Economides.
It didn’t start too well for Paul. In February he travelled down to Newport to face off against home town hero Robbie Turley for the vacant Welsh super-bantamweight title. Ten rounds later Turley had his hand raised by a score of 99-92 after frustrating Paul for 30 minutes. It was all in all a pretty bad night. The skills and improvements that we had witnessed in the gym were never put into practice due to the ‘mobile’ style of Robbie Turley (a man who would go on to give ‘Brick Fists’ Frampton kittens in his next fight)
Still, anyone who knows Economides will be aware that this man isn’t ever going to lie down. He will continue fighting to achieve his destiny and this is exactly what he did, starting with a rematch against Pavels Senkovs in Liverpool.
I remember his first fight against Senkovs two years previously. He had won, but he looked open and was jumping in recklessly. He was always liable to walk onto a punch and get knocked out.
This time it was different. He used the speed an movement that we had seen in the gym, but never in the ring. His movement was almost Hattonesque and he pounded out a resounding points victory over the Latvian hard man. Now it was time for titles.
Economides would get a chance against previous victim Shaun Doherty. He challenged the Bradford man for the British Masters super-bantamweight title in October at the Northgate Arena in Chester. Doherty had won the title the same night Paul got beaten by Turley. He had battered former British title challenger Matthew Edmonds into submission in the tenth and many expected the longer distance to suit the skilful Doherty rather than the high energy Economides.
How wrong they were. After ten pulsating rounds, in what many considered the small hall fight of the year. Economides pounded out a victory by a score of 98-94 and he had finally achieved his dream of becoming a champion.
Many would think that was a good end to the year, that is might be a time to unwind and launch his attack on 2012. Not for Economides. More was to come. It was to get even better.
In December he got the call to fight Scot Gavin Reid for the vacant British Masters featherweight title. This was an even bigger test for Paul. Reid only ever got beaten by the class acts of the division, the likes of Quigg, Frampton and company. If you weren’t part of the domestic elite he would beat you and most likely knock you out. I said at the time, if Economides fights like he did against Doherty, he would get beat. He would need to get even better if he wanted to win this one. And boy, he got better.
That night at the legendary home of British boxing, the York Hall Bethnal Green was the day Economides announced himself to the British public. The performance was scintillating. The use of movement, angles, defence and savage attacks was something even better than I had expected. He won the title by a score of 97-95 but the belt was of secondary importance. This was a battle cry, a message of intent to Scott Quigg and Carl Frampton. The Spartan is here and he is coming for you.
For lightweight Chris Goodwin the year was also a resounding success. He didn’t fight for the first ten months of the year, instead choosing to hone his skills in the gym with Father Steve. Though some may have questioned his inactivity, the proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say, and success certainly tasted good for the young man when he finally ventured out.
In October at the Northgate Arena in Chester he squared off against Geoffrey Munika of Kenya for the International Masters lightweight title. Munika had travelled the world fighting the best and had stopped former British title contender Ryan Barrett in six to win the belt. This was a huge step up for Chris and many wondered if it was a bridge too far at this stage of his career. Munika was definitely coming to win, and had even threatened to ‘bite Chris’ ear off’ if things weren’t going well.
What we witnessed was a thing of beauty. Chris absolutely dominated Munika, making the veteran look like a novice. For those fans who may not have been up on the life and times of Geoffrey Munika this may even have looked routine. Those of us who new exactly what Munika was bringing sat there open mouthed, we knew we were witnessing something special. Goodwin won by a score of 99-92 and even that looked generous to the African. Chris had become Chester’s first champion, but it was pretty obvious that there was more to come from the flame haired youngster.
Chris was to become a two time champion less than a month later. He claimed the vacant International Masters welterweight title against Belgian Wesley Hertoghe over ten rounds by a score of 100-91. Granted Hertoghe wasn’t the hardest opponent Chris will ever face, but it was a wonderful opportunity to showcase his talent in front of the capitals knowledgeable fans. They were impressed. Many commented that he was a major champion in waiting. You can’t get much more complimentary than that.
So now we move on to 2012 and where better place to start than the big show at the Northgate Arena on March 3rd. Both of our lads will be in title action and one particular fight will be the biggest that Chester has ever seen.
Chris Goodwin faces off against Carl Johanneson in a top quality domestic encounter. For those of you who don’t know Carl Johanneson I will give you a little review of his glittering career. I believe everyone should know exactly what Chris is up against.
Carl began his career in the United States back in 2000. He won twelve on the bounce until he ran into future world title contender Kobe Gogolaze where he was defeated by a split decision. Soon after, he decided to make the much publicised move back to home shores. He proceeded to win the WBF title and defend it twice, all victories by stoppage.
After a crushing defeat to iron fisted Leva Kirakosyan in the first round, Johanneson scored seven consecutive stoppages, in the process winning and defending the British super featherweight title.
His next defence came against Ricky Burns. We know Ricky, he is the current Scottish world champion, a man who is now being mentioned as one day being up there with his countries greats. Back on that February night in 2007 however Carl was King. He pounded Burns from start to finish, winning nearly every round on all the judges scorecards. It will arguably go down as his greatest night so far.
After that he fought for the European title, losing to his bogeyman Kirakosyan once again, this time in four rounds.
He rebounded by stopping Manchester legend Michael Gomez in six rounds for the British title, before losing out to Kevin Mitchell in a war next time out (Johanneson was stopped in nine but had looked on the verge of finishing Mitchell on numerous occasions during the fight)
Only last year he floored British champion Gary Sykes in their title battle before losing narrowly on points.
Maybe that wasn’t as brief as I wanted, but when a man has achieved so much, how can you write up his career in just a few lines? Chris is facing a beast and will need all the vocal support he can get from the Chester faithful. It’s over to you, the fans…..
Paul Economides will be fighting Dai Davies in a real Welsh battle. If you look at Davies’ record it isn’t as stellar as that of Johanneson but he will provide a stiff test for Paul.
Davies (8-18-1 1KO) is a former Welsh champion himself and actually defeated Robbie Turley, stopping him at the end of the ninth round due to a cut. After that he seemed to fall into the role of journeyman, fighting, and losing to the divisions best.
Recently his career has turned round, winning two of his last three. His two victories came against young prospects who he took to school and his defeat came last time out against Stuart Hall, a man who had only just come off losing a razor thin decision to Jamie McDonnell for the European title. Davies fought well in that one, he seems intent on reminding everyone that he is a talent
Davies is coming to win, and Paul will need all his newly honed skills to prevail in this one.
This new found success for Chester was honoured when I appeared on the Main Events Boxing Show on Premier Sports as a guest pundit earlier this month. I got the opportunity to mention the achievements of our boys and it was a great personal experience. But what I will say is that it was a reward for all the work we have been doing as a group. The trainer Steve Goodwin, the fighters, the matchmakers. It’s becoming impossible to ignore us.
So what do we want for 2012?
For Chris I refuse to even talk about anything after Johanneson. It would show a total lack of respect for a great champion and we aren’t going to think about looking past him. There will be no daft comments about what we are going to do and all that garbage. We know what we are up against, Chris may need to go to hell and back to win this one. But we think the time is right to make our move. Time will tell.
For Paul Economides this could really be a special year. If he fights like he did against Reid he beats Davies. And then it will be onto other things.
For me Paul beats the likes of Kris Hughes and Jamie Arthur. Not easily but I think he is the coming man, and in six months time he will be even better. He is not far away from fighting Quigg or Frampton, though my guess will be that they vacate and move on to better things. That will leave the division wide open, and for me Economides could be the one to take over. We will see.
So now it’s a case of working hard until March 3rd. The tickets are on sale. £60 ringside and £35 unreserved. It would be insane to miss out and our lads need your support.
2012 could be something very special indeed…
