Sharp Matt aiming high

MATT JENNINGS has set his sights on the ABA British light-heavyweight title after his third victory on the trot by way of a first round knockout. The island's favourite boxer was top of the bill on Friday night's dinner boxing when Guernsey took on the Northern Division of the Western Counties. Going into the last bout with the score 4-3 in the opposition's favour, the 29-year-old needed a win over Shaun Butler for a draw.

And win he did, as he gave his opponent an almighty punishing with his devastating right hand.

Jennings feels he is in the best form of his life and he now wants to go all the way in the next ABA competition in 2007.

'It would be nice next to go the ABAs to see how far I can go,' he said.

'I've been pulling my finger out with the training and it's shown. I'm the fittest and sharpest I've ever been.

'I'll start off in the south-west ABAs and my aim is to get to the semi-finals as a starting point. That's the number one target.'

Butler is a big man but he did not put up too much resistance to the powerful Jennings, who forced three standing counts in the first two minutes to ensure that referee Ian Lindsay stopped the bout. Jennings has been in the ABA before - at heavyweight in 2000 and cruiserweight in 2003 - but he now reckons he has found his right category.

His coach, Graham Guilbert, believes he is only just getting going.

'He wasn't really warmed up,' said Guilbert.

'He needs a round, a round-and-a-half. He's a devastating puncher and he's so smooth.

'Next year, he's going to the ABAs and there is no reason why he can't go all the way when he's hitting like that.'

The evening was supposed to get under way with young Alderney fighter Chris Sumner, but as was the case with his fellow blue-vested teammate Joel Mitten, who was due on in the fourth slot, their opponents failed to show up. Instead, Adam Baker was moved up to open and the Guernsey light-flyweight had no problems with Carlo Mirto as he won by a stoppage in the second round.

The score was levelled in the next bout as the greens' Gage Demor lost by a split decision to Ben Ferris, who was a touch sharper during the three rounds. Middleweight Blane Queripel gave Guernsey the lead when he had a bruising encounter with Richie Marsh that not only gave the big-hearted Queripel his first-ever victory, but the bout-of-the-night award after he won by an unanimous decision.

'I didn't think about getting bout-of-the- night at all,' said the 19-year-old.

'I was just over the moon to win it.'

The visitors then notched up two wins on the bounce as both Michael Barsby and Simon Hainsworth failed to beat the referee's count after being caught by their respective opponents, Warren Shephard and Geoff Hayward.

Scot Wayne Calladine got things back on track for the home side when he got into the ring with Craig Ryder. Referee Lindsay halted the fight in the second round when Ryder's nose was gushing blood after a couple of hefty blows from Calladine.

Blood also played a part in stopping the next bout, when Alderney's finest, Adam Rose, was in a real battle with Greg Welling which promised to be a very good fight before Lindsay stopped it in the second as Rose's nose was running red.

But the visitors' team manager, Denis Stinchcombe, had issues with these stoppages.

'I'm concerned when they stop them for just a nosebleed,' he said.

'Rose and Welling would have been a great fight. It was a cracking bout.

'All in all, it was a cracking night and, more important, the matchings were fair and all the weights were perfect. The whole thing was right for a change and the audience got good value for money.

'Four-all isn't a loss. That's a good way to go home.'