Boxing News – July 25, 2019

26 lBOXING NEWSlJULY 25, 2019 http://www.boxingnewsonline.net

HARD HITTER:

Brown

overcomes

Bavington

BROWN’S THE BOSS

Too strong

for brave

Bavington

HERRELLE 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

C

ACTION

Photo: PHILIP SHARKEY

BETHNAL GREEN

JULY 20

★★★ MAIN EVENT

★★★ UNDERCARD

★★★★ ATMOSPHERE

Simon

Euan-Smith

RINGSIDE