Safe Side Of The Ropes

By: Andrew Harrison

Oct 03 2010

Category: alexander dimitrenko, amir kahn, andy morris, anthony crolla, audley harrison, chauncy welliver, dereck chisora, frankie gavin, gary sykes, joe gallagher, john murray, lennox lewis, tony bellew

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Anthony “Million Dollar” Crolla scored the biggest win of his career on Saturday in Bolton, walking down the smart boxing Andy Morris in seven rounds to take the English super featherweight title. In a highly anticipated trade fight, Crolla boxed rigidly to the gameplan laid down for him by trainer Joe Gallagher, steadily turning the screw on Morris throughout the fight before finally breaking down his defences to overturn a rather alarming points deficit.

In a highly competitive bout which I had level going into the seventh (scoring from my couch might I add), one of the ringside judges had seen fit to award every session to Morris. At the point of writing this post I’ve yet to identify the culprit, yet I’ll keep my eyes peeled this week so I can be sure to give them their due. One wonders where the devil they pluck these people from at times.

Morris boxed with his usual good movement and natty combinations, motoring his way out of Crolla’s path when the younger man attempted to get off. The odds-on favourite going in, Morris (rated fourth at the weight by Boxing Monthly) took the first two rounds before Crolla (rated eighth) began ramming a nasty looking left hand into the Wythenshawe man’s face in the third. Marching forward incessantly, Crolla’s pressurising had Morris on red alert as he worked hard to stay at his preferred distance whereas Crolla himself appeared as calm as a Hindu cow (to borrow a Durdenism).

The fourth belonged to Crolla who impressed with his blocking ability before retaliating with hard hooks, uppercuts, jabs and screw shots. Morris, though, responded in the fifth, upping his workrate to outscore Crolla with rapid bursts and constant movement.

Despite this mini resurgence Crolla would not be blown off course and he continued to stalk a tiring Morris through the sixth and into the seventh. After being urged by Gallagher to finish his man Crolla landed a wretched looking left body shot from which Murray began to crumple like a punctured inflatable. With his man in a desperate state Crolla opened fire on him, forcing referee Dave Parris to intervene at the 2:51 mark.

The win sets up a fascinating rematch with British champ Gary Sykes, one I’d be keen to attend should the matchmakers be kind enough to arrange. Crolla (still only 23) moves to 19-2 (7) and proves once again that early blemishes during a young fighter’s baby steps need not derail their career unduly. Gallagher, absolutely cock-a-hoop at the final bell, must also now be nailed on for a British trainer of the year award.

Here are a few random observations from last weekend’s Wigan card:

• I limp into the North West after being pulverised by flu-like symptoms on the train journey down. With a Frankie Boyle audiobook for company I can only imagine that my fellow passengers have assumed that the fellow sitting opposite shivering, drifting in and out of consciousness and chuckling to himself is a drug user who’s lifted a rail card.
• I check into my salubrious accommodation (I really am being sarcastic there) and notice that the name above mine in the book belongs to John Dennen from Boxing News. I’m not exactly sure where I’m going with this writing malarkey but thankfully I’m not in it for the money, or the hotel stays.
• I arrive at the Robin Park Arena and pick up my press pass (which is a ringside ticket rather than a snazzy wrist band) and face a frisking from security (interestingly this hasn’t been necessary on my two previous press jaunts in Sunderland). I annoy the hell out of them by having approximately one billion pounds in loose change rattling around in my pockets before taking my seat ringside.
• I wind up sitting next to Albert Sosnowski but pass on the idea of a chat due to the fact that firstly, my palms are sweating profusely as my physical condition deteriorates, secondly I can’t remember if he speaks English and lastly I’m not sure if my voice is still with me after being stuck in solitude for some six hours. For those looking for a scoop though hath no fear; the big man has that annoying We No Speak Americano tune as his ringtone. My work here is done people.
• Amir Khan takes some serious stick from the crowd throughout the evening. “The Bolton Flash” (can I put that in quotation marks if I made it up myself?) looks well nonetheless and I see him performing that perpetual nodding head thing as he answers questions from the Sky panel. It’s difficult to size people up when they’re standing in two different parts of the hall but Khan looks WAY bigger than Murray, which doesn’t bode well for John should they eventually decide to cash in on their rivalry.
• Midway through proceedings some bright spark decides to roll up with a huge drum and every thump on it feels like I’ve taken a Murray right hander. I must look so very miserable.
• Still the “Barmy Army” are first class supporters. I particularly enjoyed their rendition of “There’s Only One Kid Galahad” to the tune of “He’s Got The Whole World in His Hands”. The number of syllables required has rendered that odious “Wonderland” ditty useless (the little nugget left to us by Ricky Hatton’s Las Vegas refugees), which is bloody fantastic.
• It looked a bad omen when Andrei Kudriavtsev chose to enter the ring by hunkering under the second rope. I’ve seen fighters hop, step and even somersault over the top strand before but this effort well, this was a first.

Some other notes:

• The latest George Groves-James DeGale spat rather predictably resulted in the pair heading off in separate directions. Groves will take on James Obede Toney at the end of this month in London whilst DeGale chases a British title tilt (with holder Paul Smith likely to vacate).
• Tony Bellew needs to go back to the drawing board after his woeful effort against Bob Ajisafe last Friday. Bellew obviously had no respect for the Darlington man and found himself in a real tussle when Ajisafe dropped him in the fourth. He needs to forget about any aspirations he holds of becoming a knockout artist and should drop the bully boy routine while he’s at it or he risks forever staying one dimensional and drifting into mediocrity.
• Once again Anthony Farnell’s corner work left me unimpressed. I’m slightly concerned that “Arnie” has been trusted to guide Britain’s finest prospect Frankie Gavin whose defensive style would appear to be at odds with the one Farnell employed back when he punched for pay between the ropes.
• So Dereck Chisora may have earned himself a heavyweight championship shot on the strength of beating Danny Williams and Sam Sexton whilst Audley Harrison grabbed a crack at an alphabet belt by beating Michael Sprott. Who knew that the key to the big time involved whupping mediocre Englishmen?
• If Lennox Lewis blamed complacency on his two professional defeats, how many would he have lost today? Faced with a shortlist of challengers including the likes of Chisora, Alexander Dimitrenko and  Chauncy Welliver perhaps he’d just have done with the whole thing and knocked himself out with Tyson Fury style uppercuts to his own face?
• Interesting to see Tony Jeffries hooking up with Tommy Brooks across the drink. Whilst it’s a brave move from the Sunderland light heavy, Brooks isn’t likely to be able to teach him the thing he lacks; the nastiness required to excel in this game.
• October looks a paltry month for boxing fans, especially alongside an overflowing November. I was still happy to see next week’s Pensacola card fall through nevertheless. One less Roy Jones fight has to be a good thing right?