A NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS
FEATURING WILLIAMS AND DUNNE
By Adeyinka Makinde
15.12 - The outlying areas of Brentwood, a town situated
in the English County of Essex, are composed of some
of the most luxurious sets of real estate imaginable.
It's occupants, upwardly mobile personages from the
world of British show business (especially soap stars),
footballers, merchants and assorted barons of villainy
have tended to have their origins in the working class
districts of East London; the sort of humble origins
from which the likes of Richard Williams, Colin Dunne
and Colin Lynes, headliners at the December 7th bill
held at the towns International Centre, are striving
to transcend. Billed as a night of 'World Championship
Boxing,' the major protagonists held titles created
by the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) and the
World Boxing Union (WBU), latest players in boxings
alphabet broth merry-go-round.
But the ostensible devaluation of titles does not necessarily
devalue the skill, courage and tenacity of effort that
fighters are apt at demonstrating whatever the honorific
being fought for. For Colin Dunne, the Liverpool originated
but London based, lightweight, praises are in order
for coming back to fight an extremely competitive bout
after enduring a disastrous opening round which saw
him staggered by a hook delivered by David Burke, his
rival and fellow Scouser. Praise too is due to one Paul
Samuels, the Welsh thorn in Richard 'The Secret' Williams'
side. There was also atmosphere and passion on show
with a high-spirited Polish contingent in town to support
heavyweight, Albert Sosnowski in his bout with the Nigerian,
Jacklord Jacobs and Piotr Bartnicki against the Essex
based Darren Bruce, the Poles seemingly reliant on raucous
songs composed by English and Dutch football supporters.
The Welsh support for Samuels was so intense that a
cordon of security personnel stood in front of them
alert to any eventualities while the baying and hooting
from the supporters of both Merseyside rivals was reminiscent
of recreations of the Parisian hordes who hung around
the execution spots where the French Aristocracy awaited
the attentions of the guillotine.
For Richard Williams and Paul Samuels, it was
a case of unfinished business. Their earlier bout fought
half a year earlier in June had ended in controversial
and unsatisfactory circumstances. A technical draw was
given after Richards sustained cuts above his right
eye, which the referee ruled had being caused by a clash
of heads. The Welshman, onlookers noted, had been standing
his ground well at the time of the stoppage. So it was
unsurprising that he took to the initiative at the sound
of the inaugural bell and pressed while the champion,
compared to Michael Watson by Nigel Benn, was content
to stand back and issue selective counters. Both this
round and the second were fairly even and largely uneventful.
The first sparks appeared in the third when each man
scored although Williams's punches appeared the more
authoritative. Samuels, as is the ploy of those who
have being genuinely rattled, shook his head each time
Williams caught him and even took to speaking to Williams
in the clinches. But while Samuels chattered, Williams
was beginning to take a grip on the bout, boxing confidently
and assuredly. Indeed a series of sternly delivered
hooks targeted at Samuels' sides brought large roars
from the crowd -temporarily drowning out the vociferous
support coming from the Dragon banner waving Welsh patriots.
By round five, Samuels was bloody mouthed but he took
to the offensive and commanded the sixth, backing Williams
up with sweeping hooks and a right hand and later wobbling
him with a vicious combination. Although Williams stunned
Samuels on two occasions in the seventh, a three punch
combination by Samuels had him reeling at the rounds
end. However, Samuels was now breathing heavily; bloodied
and weary, he showed remarkable resilience in not only
continuing to remain upright but also by remaining a
genuine threat when he pulled his resources together
and surged at his opponent. Williams was content to
box carefully until in the tenth he sensed an opening
and caught Samuels around the jaw and face with lefts
and rights. Samuels' legs caved in and the referee was
quick to halt the proceedings.
The fight between Colin Dunne and David Burke
was fast paced and intense, starting sensationally when
Dunne's legs quivered after being caught by a ferocious
hook. Burke chased after him, seemingly trying harder
to push his opponent to the ground, as he was to punch
him. When Dunne did eventually spin to the canvas, it
was correctly ruled a push. Dunne not only stove to
overcome the effects of the damaging punch but also
Burke's southpaw stance, which appeared to confuse him
in instances. In fact, it appeared that Dunne lacked
the ability to think himself out of his predicament
and reduced himself to attempts at head butting Burke
-a veritable sign of a desperate fighter bereft of ideas.
In the third a left hook from Burke as the referee broke
both men sent Dunne down and Dunne was given a standing
eight-count inspite of his pleas that he had slipped.
This incident, it would transpire would be crucial to
the outcome of the bout since from here on the fight
was fought evenly with Dunne bettering his foe at significant
portions. While Burke snaked out a left, Dunne constantly
dipped and weaved himself in close from where he targeted
Burke's torso. Amazingly, by the twelfth and final round,
Dunne was continuing his remarkable impersonation of
Henry Armstrong and looked like having staged a remarkable
comeback before the officials decision announced that
he had lost by a split decision -the disputed standing
count having being the deciding factor.
It will of course be interesting to see a fighter like
Williams matched against truly world-class opposition.
He appears to be a competent boxer who executes the
basics of his trade with guile and assurance. But there
must be doubt as to whether he is the genuine article
until the standard of opposition is upped. In many ways,
this sums up the state of modern boxing; who could imagine
musing thirty years ago that a champion fighter is still
largely unproven and will remain so until, if ever,
the standard of his opposition is upgraded? The reality
of the relationship between broadcasters such as the
Sky group who televised the matches and boxing promoters
is that bills are unlikely to be offered for public
viewing unless a title is at stake.
The belts proudly displaced by both Williams and Burke
after their victories could be disparaged as been bauble
and the issuing bodies as jejune, yet in many ways it
would be unfortunate to disparage the fighters who hold
these belts.
Not after witnessing the way each man and his opponent
fought.
Ade Makinde may be reached at adeyinkamakinde@aol.com
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