Bloodshed cut short the final match of the evening as three new champions were crowned on BCB Promotions’ big show at Genting Arena in Birmingham.
Wolverhampton’s Kyle Williams and Brummies Andrew Robinson and Kash Ali all had belts strapped to their waists on Saturday night, writes Craig Birch.
But there would be no winner declared between Shropshire’s Craig Morris and Andy Keates, from Leek in Staffordshire, which ended a technical draw.
Morris, defending his IBO Continental welterweight title for the first time, was cut by the right eye when the two clashed heads accidentally in the third round.
The ringside doctor was called for at the end of the session and the wound was ruled severe enough for him not to continue, so the Ludlow man retained.
No scores could be called for by the three judges, as four rounds hadn’t been completed. Two-weight Midlands champion Keates will now chase a rematch.
Williams made co-challenger Jordan Turner quit at the end of the seventh to become Midlands bantamweight boss.
Turner’s decision not to come out between rounds handed his opponent victory over him for a second time, after a six-round points win in May of last year.
The beaten contender, from Nottinghamshire, tried to walk down his rival for most of the contest and was made to pay, as he was battered into submission and cut by the left eye.
Williams won his first boxing honours in the process, having switched sports to the sweet science two years ago.
The former world kickboxing champion still works as an instructor at Fran Zuccala’s Eclipse Kickboxing & Gracie Jiu Jitsu Academy, on Tempest Street in Wolverhampton city centre.
The second dan black belt teaches children, teenagers and adults at the same venue where he first learned his own skills since the age of six.
He won the ICU featherweight title and vied for the ISKA European crown. The 26-year-old, from Whitmore Reans, now has eight wins from eight bouts with his third stoppage.
Robinson hadn’t lost with any of the judges when the scores were tallied after his 10-rounder with Nicky Jenman for the IBO Continental middleweight title.
The two former area champions engaged in a hard-fought encounter that was fought at close quarters. Accuracy did not match the volume of punches, but both proved durable.
Robinson who lives in Redditch, had success trapping Jenman on the ropes and letting his hands go, but was also docked a point for punching after the bell at the end of the ninth.
That led Shaun Messer’s card to have it a 95-95 draw, but Grzegorz Molenda and Terry O’Connor were both with Robinson, at 96-93 and 96-94 respectively.
A peach of a punch saw the Central heavyweight title go to Ali in the second round, with Dave Howe not making it to his feet in time to answer the count of 10.
Sheffield veteran Howe, who is 6ft 7in, was caught with a huge right cross blow that sent him to the canvas and he was counted out as he tried to get back up.
Just 21 seconds had passed of the second, as Ali came flying back out of the blocks after the first. Howe, now aged 37, was unsuccessful challenging for the belt for a second time.
Kelcie Ball is looking to get his name into the area title picture, as he’s due to challenge Ryan Kelly for the vacant Midlands super welterweight crown.
Nuneaton’s Ball warmed up with a six-round points whitewash over Jordan Grannum, easing to a 60-54 result with Mr Messer officiating.
West Bromwich’s Tommy Loach could not overcome Brierley Hill based MJ Hall in a four-round affair, though, which was scored a 39-39 draw.
Loach won the first, but the range of his right hand deserted him from there as southpaw Hall,
first names Matthew James, took command of the second.
Two close stanzas from there before the end of the contest were deemed drawn by referee Mr Messer, as Hall didn’t lose for the first time in 12 attempts.
Four-round points successes also came the way of Tommy Ghent, Matt Sen, Mussab Abubaker and Shakan Pitters.
Coseley’s Ghent dealt with Lithuanian Arvydas Trizno well over a 40-36 welter landslide while cruiser Sen, who lives in Oldbury, beat debutant Kevin Williams by the same score.
Abubaker did likewise to the tall Paul Cummings at super welter while fellow Brummie Pitters, a cruiser, opened the show with a shut-out at the expense of Elvis Dube.