Colin Lynes produced an impressive display of controlled boxing on his way to retaining his European light-welterweight title.
Jab the key to convincing win
Colin Lynes produced an impressive display of controlled boxing on his way to retaining his European light-welterweight title.
The Essex boxer comprehensively outpointed Finn Juho Tolppola, the judges scoring a one-sided contest 120-108, 120-108, 119-109.
Tolppola took the fight at short notice and the 26-year-old was brave and defiant, as would be expected of a man who had never been stopped in 24 previous bouts.
But despite taking much of the fight to Lynes, he lacked the class to truly trouble the champion, although he did land the occasional flurry of punches.
Lynes - fighting in front of his home crowd in Hornchurch for the first time in four years - got his jab working early and controlled the fight from the first bell.
He was almost on autopilot at times, snaking out the jab and snapping Tolppola's head back as the Finn came forward.
Purist
It was not explosive but it was stylish and definitely a display for the boxing purist.
Tolppola's best round was the fifth but even then the 30-year-old Lynes was not in any trouble.
A stoppage never looked on the cards but the final bell was greeted delightedly by Lynes' army of home fans, who had seen their man produce something of a boxing masterclass.
Wobbled
"I felt a little bit flat tonight. I busted my left hand early but the way I use the jab you are going to bust it sometimes," Lynes told
Sky Sports. "But I got over that, I boxed nice.
"He wobbled a couple of times and I tried to jump on but his footwork wasn't bad and he jumped out of the way. I am pleased - to win it by a landslide defending the European belt, that is a bonus.
"But I am going to have to raise the game to get to the next level and I will do that."
