Domestic dazzlers
Wednesday 29 July 2009 13:25, UK
Adam Smith looks back at last season on these shores - when Messrs Brook, Rogan and DeGale all starred.
Adam Smith looks back at the best of British
Back home boxing saw a real changing of the guard this season. Nicky Cook replaced Alex Arthur as world super-featherweight champion before crashing to Puerto Rico's Roman Martinez. It might be the end for the exciting Enzo Maccarinelli, who was blitzed to defeat by emerging Russian southpaw Denis Lebedev last weekend. Add to that his recent knockout losses to David Haye and the unheralded Ola Afolabi, and the boxing future of this most amiable and thrilling of fighters looks bleak. Michael Jennings unsurprisingly failed to take the supreme Miguel Cotto's world welterweight title. The Chorley man will carry on at domestic level. It's been sad to see Jon Thaxton's long career diminishing, and Colin Lynes couldn't transfer his classy skills to European level.Powerful
The powerful and popular Jamie Moore, though, produced his finest performance to dismantle former world champion Michele Piccirillo. Moore's now closing in on a shot at the big boys and the good news is that the best light-middleweights are creaking with age. Rendall Munroe's had another good season, defending his European super-bantamweight belt, and could get an unlikely shot at the world title. A mouth-watering match for Munroe would be against Bernard Dunne. Good news too that Clinton Woods and Junior Witter both have another chance to become a world champion again. Jason Booth's had a fabulous season - and was close to my 'comeback of the year' award, but that had to go to Khan. 'Too Smooth' is enjoying a wonderful Indian Summer to his career: the manner in which he dealt with moving up in weight to outclass the decent youngster Mark Moran at 11 days notice was vintage Booth. I am so happy for Jason after overcoming tough battles in his personal life. An Autumnal meeting with our old favourite Michael Hunter in the North East will be an enticing one.Brutal
Martin Rogan's had an amazing time. Since winning Prizefighter, he has taken the scalps of Audley Harrison and Matt Skelton, both against the odds. The loveable Belfast cab driver's brutal clash with Matt Skelton has to be the Domestic Tussle of the Season, beating Rob Norton-David Dolan's five-knockdown scrap. Rogan lost his Commonweatlh heavyweight title in the strangest of circumstances, when he didn't follow up against Sam Sexton. We look forward to their re-match. There's more unfinished domestic business to sort out next season.
The Unluckiest Fighters of the Season have to be John Simpson and Paul Truscott (left). After dishing up a great start to the New Year, when Simpson took the Commonwealth featherweight belt after Truscott was stopped on an eye injury in the eighth, their return was ruled out because of flooding!!
In over 15 years of covering this sport, I never thought we'd be in a position like that. The Eston Sports Academy in Middlesbrough was totally unsafe though, and the right decision was made. They will finally meet again on our first Friday Fight Night of the new season on September 4.
Look out too for the movements of good fresh arrivals to hold meaningful belts like Paul McCloskey, Matthew Macklin and Anthony Small. Ajose Olusegun keeps winning as well.
Fireworks
Tony Quigley had a great victory in a titanic Merseyside clash with Tony Dodson. Expect more fireworks when Quigley meets Liverpool rival Paul Smith. John Murray's still unbeaten and on the up, but it was a shame that he threw away his British lightweight title on the scales. Ricky Burns has improved too - although it was sad to say goodbye to Michael Gomez. Martin Lindsay had a terrific win over Paul Appleby, and Gary Davies has also forced his way through. Little Chris Edwards has given us atmospheric nights in Stoke, and Bristol's Lee Haskins has come back into the domestic picture. Prizefighter has given us Martin Murray - who I like the look of - while Ovill McKenzie upset the more established names to win the cracking cruiserweight night. We have had some excellent domestic shows and Gary Sykes-Anthony Crolla the Undercard Fight of the Season.Ripping
There is certainly a new breed, a new generation of talent coming through. Jamie Cox and George Groves are doing just fine. Nathan Cleverly has really come of age over the last 10 months, thrusting himself forward, but Kell Brook is my Domestic Fighter of the Season after ripping through the British welterweights with clinical ease. He does indeed look 'Special Kell'. The Olympic boys are really ones to keep an eye on next season. They have all started their pro careers excellently. Darren Sutherland looks strong and powerful; Joe Murray hard-working and classy; and Tony Jeffries exciting - especially with the support of that fanatical Sunderland fanbase. Frank Warren's trio are all starring together. We may have the best nights with the aggressive southpaw Billy Joe Saunders who I have really been sold on. Frankie Gavin has all the ability - and gave us his best performance yet on the big Khan-Kotelnik bill, stopping Graham Fearn.
It is so tight to pick just one - but I am going to go with the flash, brash, assured James 'Chunky' DeGale. After a mixed debut, the Olympic gold medallist is starting to look the business inside the ring and outside, he's probably going to be the most engaging character. James is my Outstanding British Prospect for Next Season.
This season we lost some great names like Chris Finnegan, Ingemar Johansson, Greg Page, Giovanni Parisi, Jose Torres, and Johnny Caldwell. The incomparable commentator Reg Gutteridge also passed away - and I owe him so much.
