Kyle Fox suffers career-first defeat
Doncaster’s Kyle Fox (6-1) lost his unbeaten status as he fell to a fifth-round TKO defeat at the hands of Anthony Tomlinson (10-0) as he challenged for his Central Area welterweight title on Saturday, May 11 at the Doncaster Dome.
Hatfield's Fox was down twice before referee John Latham called off the fight at 2:28 of the fifth-round. It was 'The Truth's' maiden defence of the title he won in September last year.
The first three rounds were very close and competitive, but a turn of events occured in the fourth round that changed the course of the fight when Tomlinson barged Fox through the ropes who flew out of the ring and hit the ringside table.
After that fall, his game plan seem to go off course and began trading with Tomlinson, which was his undoing. A hard body shot from the champion floored the challenger in the fifth and Fox was forced to take a knee and the subsequent eight-count. With the wind taken out if him, Fox bravely rose to his feet but another hard right to the body signalled the end as the fight was stopped with 32 seconds remaininng of the round.
Fox, a former Yorkshire amateur champion, landed the British Challenge belt in his previous contest over eight-rounds at the North Notts Arena in June 2018 with a landslide points win over Islington’s Jordan Grannum (3-27) to set up the Central Area title tilt in just his seventh contest.
Trained by Michael White at the Fighting Fit Gym in Dinnington and managed by Joe Elfidh, the 25-year-old conceded his all-winning record by the more experienced Central Area champion Tomlinson, 27 from Sheffield, who is now unbeaten in 10 fights with five victories coming by way of knockout.
His last two fights ended in fourth and fifth round stoppages, respectively, against good opposition, including former Dutch featherweight titlist Innocent Anyanwu (25-34-3) in his last fight, and unbeaten Jayce Dixon (4-0) to win the Area title in September 2008.
He continued the theme with another fifth-round stoppage against another good opponent.
Fox's manager Joe Elfidh said of his welterweight charge, "He's still young, he gave a good account of himself, it was very competitive and wasn't one-sided at all.
"I'm extemely proud of him for testing himself against a kid who's a real puncher. There's plenty of room for improvements, but he'll come good again."
The Stefy Bull Promotions event also featured a British super-bantamweight title eliminator contest between southpaw Jason Cunningham (25-6) and Kent’s Josh Kennedy (11-5), which Cunningham won convincingly with scores of 99-91; 98-92; 98-93.
Folkestone fighter Kennedy was agressive and constantly on the front foot throughout the 30 minutes but the he was outlanded by the fleet-footed Cunningham.
The 29-year-old winner, known as 'The Iceman', will next face the winner of Brad Foster vs Ashley Lane, who meet on May 18 for Foster's Lonsdale belt and Lane's Commonwealth crown.