Round-up of JE Promotions' seven-fight card – 'The Homecoming'
BBN were sat ringside for JE Promotions' entertaining 'The Homecoming' show at Mote Park in Maidstone on October 6.
Charlie Shane in seventh heaven
British Challenge belt super-middleweight champion Charlie ‘The Animal’ Shane moved up to 7-0 with a landslide points win over 27-year-old southpaw Bryn ‘The Bruiser’ Wain (0-21).
Southpaw Shane dominated the entire fight and was easily the best individual performance of the night. He switched shots from body to head effortlessly and effectively and came close to scoring his first ever stoppage with the constant, unrelenting pressure he was applying.
Referee Ian John-Lewis had a long chat with Wain and his corner at the end of the third-round but allowed the gutsy 21-year-to continue.
Shane looks hugely improved since teaming up with his new training outfit from the Invicta Gym and manager Joe Elfidh next plans to put an application to the Board to challenge for the vacant Southern Area title, last held by retired Cello Renda.
Shane said, "I don't know how he managed to get through the last round. I'm a different animal now and I want bigger fights next year. Thanks to Ray Askew, Lee Page and Sam Latham, and my manager Joe Elfidh; can't find better men to go to war with anywhere."
Tom McGinley takes next step towards Southern Area title
Chelmsford’s Tom ‘Micro Machine’ McGinley (6-1) defeated Manchester’s Steven Maguire (0-5) 40-36 on points.
The Essex puncher worked off his jab well, controlling the fight and the pace of the contest. Away fighter Maguire was game and awkward, but McGinley had a height and size advantage over the Mancunian and he spent most of the fight trying to avoid the heavier shots. McGinley couldn't miss with the left hand and landed left hooks at will, causing the right hand side of his victim's face to be visibly marked after the first two rounds.
McGinley said of his performance post-fight, “I felt I boxed well, tried to keep it long with my height advantage over my opponent and managed to outbox him with range work for the first three rounds. The fourth round was a bit messier as he knew he had to stop me to get the win so came out of his corner all guns blazing. He wanted a tear up to finish on so naturally I obliged which made for an exciting final round!”
The 31-year-old British Challenge belt champion, trained by Russ Smith at the Champions Gym, is mandated for the Southern Area title super-bantamweight title against champion Duane Winters (10-1). The championship fight was due to take place on September 22, the same night that heavyweight kingpin Anthony Joshua KO’d Alexander Povetkin in seven at Wembley Stadium, but was cancelled and is still awaiting a return date.
Margate's Paul 'Bomber' Brown continues unbeaten run
Light-heavyweight Paul ‘Bomber’ Brown moved up to 3-0 with a 40-36 points win over Chessington's Richard Harrison (3-31).
The former Southern Counties ABA champion, trained by Mario Michael, chalked up his third shutout points win in another four-rounder against London-born Harrison.
The 29-year-old described the contest through his own eyes, “The fight went well, I worked hard for the four-rounds, out-boxing him in every round, throwing some lovely combinations and body shots. He was a tough lad, stood there and took every shot and then coming back for more.
“He caught me with some good shots in the second and fourth rounds, a couple of mistakes made on my behalf, but I’m going up in levels now and every fight I’m improving. It’s time to step it up now and next fight will be a six-rounder.”
Luke Gibb comes back with a bang!
Bexleyheath's Luke Gibb (4-1) became only the second boxer to ever drop Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudry (0-28) when a short left uppercut landed heavily in the fourth and final round.
The vaster experienced Chaudry was a slick operator and his amateur pedigree was evident in his boxing ability, but 'Gibbo's' pressure-fighting was dominant throughout and proved to be a class above.
The former Team GB boxer said, "Great to get back to winning ways against a very tough guy. I got a lovely knock down in the fourth and just came short of stopping him, but it wasn't to be, but was great to be back in there again."
Chaudry, a North West Regional champion and ABA quarter-finalist, has not been stopped in 28 contests but has now suffered two knockdowns in as many months, with Gibb scoring his lovely uppercut just one month after 21-year-old super-lightweight Kyle Scully dropped him with a short right hand in the first round.
'Gibbo', a former England International, experienced sparring with his old Team GB teammate Luke Campbell in preparation for his comeback and plans to return to title fights in 2019.
Jack Budge improves to 3-0
Featherweight Jack Budge moved up to 3-0 in his second appearance under the JE Promotions banner, having experienced his debut under Chris Sanigar in 2016 when working as an apprentice jockey in Lambourn, Berkshire.
The 23-year-old from High Halstow breezed through Ricky Leach (3-30-1) to claim his third points win. Manager, Joe Elfidh, plans to put his name forward for the Southern Area featherweight title next, currently held by Jamie Speight.
Budge started explosively and unloaded heavily on Leach in the opener, who looked unsteady at times. Leach tucked up and managed to last the duration, but looked very disheveled by the final bell.
Budge would go seemingly go through the gears at will; he would step on the gas for a minute, then step away and go back on his jab and operate at a distance to conserve energy. Leach had his own moments and definitely caught Budge with a few of his own shots, but they had little effect and Budge cruised to his third pro win and looked very good in doing so.
Elfidh, a former pro himself, commented, "Jack’s been sparring with Barry McGuigan’s prospect Lee McGregor who’s 4-0 and fighting for the Commonwealth bantamweight title on October 13. Jack constantly needs top-level sparring because he doesn’t get tested by a lot of the local fighters to him so have to travel to McGuigan’s and other gyms. He was a top amateur champion who won everything and he's already ready to beat Southern Area champions, so there's no point in waiting."
Cassidy gets off the mark
Debutant Aidan Cassidy (1-0), 23 from Sittingbourne, marked hus professional debut with a points win over stand-in opponent Haroon Karim (0-4).
Cassidy, a former amateur champion for Repton, used his size and reach advantage very well. He got caught a few times, as expected in anyone's debut fight, but used his jab well, traded with Karim at times, but endured a very good learning fight that will stand him in good stead for the future. He was tagged, but never in trouble and always in control.
The Haringey Box Cup silver medallist trains out of the Kent Gloves Boxing Gym under the tutelage of trainer Simon Gildea and has ambitions to win a Southern Area title.
The Italian Job
Southern Area title contender John ‘The Don’ Brennan (10-5-1), 33 from Slough, reached double figures in his win record, triumphing on points over London-based Italian Victor Edagha (0-41-1) over four-rounds at the super-welterweight limit.
The Italian was a better opponent than his losing record suggests. He started slowly against the 33-year-old from Slough but then woke up for the remaining rounds and gave Brennan plenty to think about. However, Brennan landed the cleaner, bigger, more eye-catching shots and was the far classier fighter, but Edagha certainly came to fight and had a real go of it. He would fight in flurries, get on the front foot and go on the attack, forcing Brennan to get on his toes and defend, but despite landing a few of his own, the Italian ended the fight bloodied and bruised.
JE Promotions are planning their next event at Mote Park for December.