Elation for Philip Bowes as he wins Commonwealth crown
Leytonstone’s Philip Bowes (19-3) got it right on his fourth attempt to land the Commonwealth super-lightweight title on February 2 at the York Hall, on the same night that Ted Cheeseman failed to capture the European belt just six miles away at The O2.
'Quicksilver' Bowes defeated Tanzania’s Benson Nyilawila (10-2) in the second-round for the prestigious belt on London promoter Mickey Helliet’s 101st boxing show in Bethnal Green. Despite the chilly conditions, the southpaw warmed up quickly and halted proceedings in the second stanza in what was his best performance to date. Fellow pugilist and friend Ohara Davies was quick to congratulate Bowes on social media and mentioned that his name should now be in the mix, finally, where it belongs.
Londoner Bowes had won nine of his last 10 bouts going into the championship contest, the only blemish on his recent record coming at the hands of Glenn Foot when challenging for the English championship in May 2017. There were two failed attempts at claiming the Southern Area title prior to that to Johnny Coyle in May 2015 and to the current European champ Joe Hughes in October 2014.
The 34-year-old could now make a claim to challenge for he British super-lightweight title currently held by Robbie Davies Jr. who meets Bowes' former conqueror Joe Hughes on March 30 in Liverpool.
There was another second-round stoppage win on the same night over in the States as Richard Commey (28-2) claimed the vacant IBF World lightweight title in Dallas over Isa Chaniev (13-2). It was his second shot at the IBF belt having previously lost to Robert Easter Jr. in September 2016.
Commey, signed to Streetwise Management, tore through Chaniev, dropping him late in the first round with a monster right hand, but as Commey went to end matters, he tripped and allowed Chaniev to survive to hear the bell. But the 31-year-old from Accra wasted no time in the second by putting Chaniev down with a left hook early on and charged in to finish things with a final flurry, dropping the Russian for a third time, at which point referee Laurence Cole stopped the contest at 39 seconds of the second stanza.
It’s a huge win for Commey and puts him in line for a unification fight with WBA and WBO titleholder Vasiliy Lomachenko in a unification bout next.