Boxing

David Haye & Michael Sprott score KO wins

By James McDonnell @ Ringside

03.08 - On a mostly excellent fight card, provided by SEM and Lion promotions on Friday, 1st of August at the famous York Hall, two fighters shone through..

Michael Sprott and David Haye both turned in clinical performances in their respective bouts, both chilling displays of punching power.

David Haye, in only his 6th professional contest, took on the vastly more experienced Gren Scott-Briggs, who sported a losing 15-25-0 record going into the contest.

The fight was over as soon as Haye began to unfurl his long right hand. In a performance resonant of a prime Lennox Lewis, Haye carried his left like a gunslinger, primed from the hip, whilst his power shots were mainly from a long straight right hand. Early in the round, Haye had already began unleashing powerful 1-2's, and it wasn't long before Briggs sank to the canvas. Already looking weary and hurt, he was just target practice for the deadly accurate Haye, whose powerful shots were fired home with the accuracy of a sharpshooter.

A 2nd knockdown came courtesy of a right hand, followed by a brace of left uppercuts, and again Briggs rose, just beating the count at 9. Larry O Connell sensibly decided enough was enough, and the game but outgunned Briggs was rescued from further punishment.

It was an impressive performance from Haye, but against Briggs, he was always going to be a winner, and the bout just showed that already at this early stage of his career, Haye is in need of more meaningful contests to test his ability. The only concern in his performance, was that he still
carries his left hand cocked very low, a stylistic trait which seems to be becoming increasingly popular with young boxers in this country, and perhaps something which can be attributed to Lennox Lewis' success and popularity.

At this stage Haye is unlikely to be found out, but one would hope it's a habit which he tightents up on as he advances.

Haye stated that he intends to be southern area champion by the end of the year, and it's easy to envisage that being achieved well inside that schedule. I couldn't help but think ahead to the tantalizing prospect of seeing Haye against Enzo Macarinelli, sooner rather than later. It's a contest that would surely produce some fireworks, but time will tell whether it's in these two men's best interests to meet eachother domestically.

Michael Sprott's KO was even more dramatic, and featured one of the best left hooks I've ever seen from one of the most improved fighters in the British Isles. Sprott entered the ring looking focused and pumped, his face a mask of seriousness. Sprott was defending his southern area middleweight title, whilst Kenna, a bright prospect from Dublin, was hoping to add an impressive scalp to his unbeaten record of 9-0, now 9-1.

The fight started brightly from the off, and looked to be a possible tactical battle, as Sprott circled firing off his impressively quick jab. Kenna pressed forward trying to find openings, but Sprott was taking the shots well on his gloves.

No sooner was the action beginning to warm up, when it came to an abrupt end. Kenna and Sprott both threw a left hook, Sprott's landed first, and Kenna lurched backward on unsteady legs towards the ropes. A malicious grin crossed the face of Sprott, as he realized Kenna was in desperate trouble. A right hand followed, which Kenna wove out of the way of, but he turned straight into the path of one of the most perfect left hooks you could ever hope to see. It was so quick that at first I thought the right hand had done the job on Kenna, but one of the BBC crew at ringside showed me a replay, and then you could see just how fast and on the button Sprott's left hook was.

Kenna was down for almost a minute, and there were anxious faces at ringside, not least from the sizeable contingent who had traveled from Ireland for Kenna's bout, some of them sitting right behind me at ringside. The paramedics were in the ring in short order, and Kenna was gradually ushered to his feet after being attended to. Even two minutes after

Sprott to me is now looking like possibly the best fighter in UK aside from Lennox Lewis. Audley is still learning his trade, and Danny Williams hasn't done anything in recent times to make me believe he would be able to beat Sprott second time around. Williams might have the psychological edge after
beating Sprott by TKO in 7 only a year ago, but since then a resurgent Sprott has turned in 6 KO performances in 8 contests.

Should they meet again, Williams has a very tough night's work on his hand.

It's strange to think, that it's not long ago that Sprott was considered a light punching fighter not so long ago. Since losing to Danny Williams, Sprott has gradually regained his confidence and learned to sit down on his punches. This is allied to an excellent punching technique, and one of the fastest pair of hands in the business, as well as excellent defensive skills, and Sprott is now a very well rounded fighter. It's hard to tell yet just how far Sprott is capable of going, but he is beginning to remind me of a Chris Byrd type of fighter, with better power, and more aggression.

Another excellent contest on the bill, was the southern area welterweight title. A pulsating contest between a boxer, Brett James of St. Pancras club, and Sammy Smith, a colorful and likeable character from the trade sales gym in slough.

From the off this was an action packed fight, with the bullish but less skilful Smith carrying the fight to the silkier Brett James. James carried the title away on the night, winning the early rounds, before becoming embroiled in a brawl in the mid-rounds. Smith needed all his skills to survive the 7th, as Smith battered him to the ribs and head along the ropes, trapping his man in the corner for a torrid 30 seconds. James was cut, and looked badly battered, and needed every second of the rest in between rounds to clear his head. However, once he came out again for the 8th he had recovered, and kept fought hard to take the last 2 and secure a win.

Smith showed and needed to use some excellent variety in his work on the night, and deservedly took away a win by scores of 97-94.

Mark Krence also scored an impressive win over Derek McCafferty, winning by a shutout score of 40-36 in a 4 rounder. His fast hands and excellent combination punching kept the harder punching McCafferty off balance for most of the fight, and he fought a consistently high pace. His win showed that Audley's progress at this stage of his career is no mirage.

The only slight blot on the evenings entertainment was a wearisome encounter between Charles Adamu and Veteran campaigner Matthew Barney, who contested the vacant Commonwealth super-middleweight title.

As the two men entered the ring, it was clear that the impressively chiseled and muscular Adamu, who looked more light a light heavyweight, was going to be the stronger man, but aside from an impressive array of circus style tricks, including hoisting his man over his shoulder, and throwing him to the canvas, that was where his abilities ended.

Over 12 tedious rounds, Adamu, who was as raw as sushi, threw a series of impressively powerful, but woefully inaccurate punches, delivered with the style of a seam-bowler.

Though undeniably strong, Adamu wouldn't have known a left hook from a meat hook, and as he flailed away Barney thudded home jab after jab.

As the rounds ground on, Barney established an early lead, but by the middle rounds, Barney became increasingly negative, whilst Adamu, whose fitness must be incredible just refused to give up and kept surging forward in his crude style.

Over the last few rounds, Barney did little or nothing except hold, and having been docked a point in the 6th, lost the fight largely due to his negativity. I actually still had Barney ahead by the end as a result of being the one landing the few clean punches in each round, but in reality I wasn't surprised with the result.

Adamu's strength and fitness was quite incredible, after 12 rounds of throwing constant power punches, many of which missed or landed on gloves or arms, he was still as fresh as a daisy, and looked as thought he could have fought 12 more rounds. On the rare occasion when Adamu threw a jab, it was crisp and powerful, but he can't have thrown more than 5 in the whole fight.

If Adamu knew how to fight, he would be dangerous to anyone out there, but unfortunately he fought Barney as if he found out that he had been sleeping with Adamu's wife, and that seemed to be the only style he was willing or able to employ.

All in all, it was an excellent value for money card, which I would have gladly have paid to attend with hindsight, and though the 'main event' didn't ever catch fire, the undercard bouts, and the sensational KO's by Sprott and Haye more than made up for that.

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