Mark Bennett closing in on Central Area heavyweight title showdown with current champion Kash Ali
Heavyweight Mark Bennett (3-0) took a step closer to the Central Area heavyweight title with a significant points victory in his third pro contest on JE Promotions in association with Scott Calow Boxing’s six-fight card at Worksop’s North Notts Arena on November 10.
Unbeaten ‘Bad News’ Bennett came through a tough test against dangerman Kamil Sokolowski (5-13-2), winning 39-38 on points in a four-round heavyweight contest.
The pair wowed fans with a tough tussle that swung back and forth with the home fighter just edging it by a single point in what was an exciting heavyweight spectacle.
The Edlington banger beat the Barnstaple-based Polishman, who previously ruined the record of five unbeaten prospects during his four-year career and was ranked five places above the home fighter on BoxRec. Their names have since switched places with Bennett now ranked at 16th, just three places behind current Central Area heavyweight titlist Kash Ali (14-0), 23 from Birmingham, who Bennett aims to challenge next.
31-year-old Bennett is eyeing Ali’s (14-0) Central Area strap, which he won last March with a second-round knockout of two-time challenger David Howe (14-7).
The 26-year-old Brummie boxer has yet to defend the title but has participated in two six-rounders since and has another scheduled for February 15 next year in Sheffield.
Bennett is no stranger to risk-taking having tackled Dorian Darch (12-6-1) in just his second professional contest last June and stopping the Welshman, who has shared the ring with Anthony Joshua and Daniel Dubois, in the second-round.
Manager Joe Elfidh has now managed to land Bennett the mandatory spot and plans to make the fight on his next show in East Midlands.
On the undercard, Swallownest super-lightweight Sonny Price (5-0) cruised past Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudry (1-31) to win his fifth professional contest to cap off his debut year.
‘Sonny Boy’ pressed the action from start to finish and managed to hurt the former North West regional amateur champion with body shots.
The seven-time Yorkshire amateur champion has won all 20 professional rounds so far against his quintet of opponents and plans to move up to six-round contests next year.
Super-middleweight Dylan Clegg (2-0) scored a stoppage in his pro debut last June and made another statement by flooring his next opponent Victor Edagha (0-44-2) in the third-round en route to a 35-40 points win.
Maidstone middleweight Lenny ‘The Main Man’ Fuller (3-0) racked up another win on his flawless record against 37-year-old Londoner Scott Hillman (0-31), winning 40-36 on points.
The Chart Sutton gypsy had a limited amateur career with Westry ABC and went on to become an unbeaten unlicensed champion with trainer Lee Page.
Langold’s Luke Middleton (2-1) pulled off the upset of the night with an unexpected win against Carwyn Herbert (3-2) who was dropped late in the first-round and was outboxed 37-39 on points.
Dinnington’s Darren Snow (5-27-2) was up against a livewire in Istvan Orsos (16-48-3) and there was nothing to separate between the pair as the contest was declared a draw.
Promoter Joe Elfidh commented on his event, “It was another great night of boxing with plenty of drama. There were knockdowns, upsets and a thrilling heavyweight clash.
“I’m really pleased that the prospects I manage – Lenny Fuller, Sonny Price, Dylan Clegg – all came through another win without dropping a single round.
“Mark Bennett came through another risky match-up to reach 16th in the heavyweight rankings after just three pro fights. I am now working on getting him the Central Area shot at Kash Ali early next year.”
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