All the local Kent favourites won their fights in style on Saturday
It was local professional boxing promotions company Boxing Connected’s first show of 2022 and it took place at the Maidstone Leisure Centre on Saturday, March 12.
It was just four months on from their last show at Mote Park and it was a welcome return as every paying punter really got their money’s worth with six highly entertaining contests on display.
Opening the show was Rainham’s Brooklyn Tilley (3-0), who was debuting at lightweight having previously fought his first two fights at welterweight.
His third professional opponent was Stockport’s experienced Jamie Quinn (8-125-2) and the journeyman lived up to his moniker, ‘Devil Child’.
Quinn came out of his corner like a steam train, but the 21-year-old Tilley – 10 years his aggressive opponent’s junior – remained calm and composed, stuck to his boxing skills, and gave as good as he got, to triumph in the fight 39-37 on points.
Promoter Joe Elfidh excitedly described the opening contest as “a toe-to-toe war and the fight of the night!”
In what was a hard act to follow, debutant Alex Branson-Cole (1-0) made history in the second bout of the night as the first professional boxer to come out of Faversham in 60 years.
Trained by Ian Fleckney, the 29-year-old handled the expectations of his entire town in the calmest manner with a composed 40-36 points victory over a powerful Mexican opponent with five KOs from nine victories.
The local amateur champion only started boxing aged 22, but he managed to experience 40 bouts in a vest, winning Kent and Southern Counties Championships. As a pro, Alex is keen to move forward quickly in his career, which both trainer Fleckney and manager Elfidh fully agree with.
From Maidstone, Jimmy Peckham’s (2-0) clash with Margate’s Ricky Leach (3-57-1) really took the roof off the venue. With hundreds of vocal fans in support, a rejuvenated Peckham, fighting as a featherweight for the first time – 20lbs lighter than his pro debut almost three years ago – was in fine shape to win every round of his fight 40-36.
Rising lightweight star Martin McDonagh (10-2), 26-years-old, moved up to double figures in his win column with a six-round points decision over tough Mexican Christian Lopez Flores (13-16-2, 11KOs).
Trained by Billy Rumbol, the stylish southpaw from Sheerness will be looking to push on to challenge for titles this year.
Tyrone King (2-0), a 22-year-old middleweight from Sittingbourne, had an awkward, elusive opponent to deal with in George Rogers (0-7-1), from the East Midlands. Despite the difficulties, King boxed tidily to win all four rounds and double his win tally to 2-0.
Another Maidstone boxer, Oliver Lawrence (2-0), took a risky fight against a dangerous opponent in Berman Sanchez (29-16-3, 21KOs).
The hard-hitting Nicaraguan, with 21 knockouts from 29 wins, is a former WBA Fedecentro and WBA Fedebol champion, who has shared the ring with two elite world champions.
Trained by Paul Whiffen, 29-year-old Lawrence rose to the occasion to defeat the 48-fight veteran 40-36 on points.
Promoter Joe Elfdh proudly commented on his show, “It was one of the most powerful shows we have ever done. The fights were entertaining, the atmosphere was incredible, and these lads are the future of Kent boxing. We are all looking forward to the next show in June.”
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