Review of Left Jab's Year 2009
Looking back at 2009 from my perspective, small-hall boxing is far from dead despite some opinions to the contrary. Left Jab shows this year have been well attended and small-hall shows will go from strength to strength as long as promoters deliver value for money and well-matched fights.
A highlight of the year for Left Jab was on 7th November. A sell-out show at Tattersalls Newmarket was followed by the Haye victory over Valuev later that evening in Germany. Headlining at Tattersalls that night was Newmarket’s own Pat McAleese who advanced to 9-0 with a win over Darren Gethin. The Tattersalls show was a venture outside the normal boxing venues but the local support was fantastic and the investment in audio-visual effects and a live band made it a real occasion.
More traditional shows at York Hall were the mainstay of the year. Part of the attraction for me in entering the promoting game was to have the privilege of putting on shows at York Hall. For me the character and feel of a venue is an integral part of the boxing experience.
The March show “The Mother of All Sundays” (yes, on Mother’s Day) featured an explosive win by African champ Badru Lusambya over Chas Symonds with a 3rd round stoppage. Pat McAleese made it 5-0, but his Newmarket compatriot Matt Jack’s pro debut was spoiled by Patrick Mendys, the Reading based Gambian trained by Jim Evans. It was difficult to get women boxers into the ring in 2009 but at this show Laura Saperstein dominated the heavier Galina Gymlisska from Bulgaria to win 40-36. Ashley Theophane outscored former Commonwealth champion Craig Docherty in a six-rounder with Ashley taking control in the later rounds. My lowlight of the year however was having to tell a gloved-up Leon Williams that he could not make his London debut as the BBBofC had not approved his opponent. Leon would have to wait until June.
The June show marked my first anniversary as a promoter with a repeat of “Father’s Day at York Hall” which I hope has already become a traditional event at the home of British boxing.
“Father’s Day II” was by common acclaim a cracking show! Two great fights on the bill both divided opinion as to the rightful victors. Ashley Theophane v Mark Douglas was a hard fought eight-rounder and the referee saw it as a 77-75 win to Ashley. I’m a big fan of both boxers. Mark showed his courage later in the year against Lee Purdy in a televised bout when he experienced a bad shoulder injury. I hope he will recover well and that we will see him back in the ring soon. Lee Cook v Mark Mcullough was another tough fight. Cook was dropped in the first and Jim Evan’s fighter was on top. But in a tremendous fifth and sixth rounds Cook was more accurate and was given the verdict. As well as these two fights involving more experienced boxers, in two debuts, Ryan Toms won a war with Kevin Lilley, and ‘John’ Wayne Hibbert stopped his opponent in the first round. Leon Williams finally had his first pro fight in a London ring and won every round, but there was to be no knockout victory.
September’s show had the strapline ‘Fast & Furious’, and lived up to this billing with eight four-rounders and a six-rounder in quick succession all demonstrating the essence of small-hall boxing. In the six-rounder, Pat McAleese went to 8-0 but only after a gruelling fight and being rocked in the first by Geraint Harvey. Romford boxers Billy Slate and Tony Conquest made pro debuts after successful amateur careers. And after his debut on Father’s Day, ‘John’ Wayne Hibbert’s enthusiastic supporters were again in attendance to watch him pull off another stoppage win.
The year closed with the “Winter Warriors” show. The Boxing News report by Steve Holdsworth said this had all the ingredients for a successful show and delivered “a pinch of shock, a serving of awe, and a touch of class”. The shock was Leon Williams losing his unbeaten record by Hastings Rasani, who was not cowed by Leon’s aggression. Leon will bounce back from this, and he’ll be on my first show in the New Year. Michael Maguire showed power with a first-round demolition of his Latvian opponent, he’ll be bidding for championship honours before too long. Martin Welsh looked classy and went to 3-0 with a stoppage win. Nick Okoth is usually durable, but Tony Conquest has developed power to go with style and after a barrage from him at the end of the first round, Okoth was forced to retire. ‘John’ Wayne Hibbert pulled off his seemingly customary early win, and after nine fights the Left Jab year had closed with another successful show and more good matchmaking from Roy Hilder.
What is to come in 2010? I hope to put on a title fight or two and maybe co-promote at a new (but interesting) venue. Above all, I’ll keep striving for really competitive fights.
A Happy New Year
Miranda Carter
1st January 2010