Shock turnaround sees Jennings counted out

MATT JENNINGS was just a minute or so away from arguably the best win of his amateur career when he was sensationally counted out on his feet at St Pierre Park Hotel. Guernsey's talented and big-hitting light-heavyweight looked odds-on to beat or even stop Bristol's Rob Boardman when the bell sounded for the start of the fourth and final two-minute round at the latest Dinner Boxing Club promotion.

The smaller Boardman, who now plans to turn professional, had twice taken a standing count in the second and still looked flummoxed at how to get near, never mind rattle, the popular Sarnian as the last round got under way.

Jennings had boxed as well as he'd ever done, but from nowhere he was caught with a stupendous left followed by a vicious right hook which rocked the taller man to his foundations.

Boardman, probably well behind on points, knew he had to get his man and with unrelenting attacks finally had Jennings wobbling in his own corner and seemingly unable to protect himself.

Ref Phil Pattimore quite rightly counted through the mandatory eight and with a wide sweep of his arms counted out the local favourite, his nose oozing blood.

On Red Nose Day, it was not the finish Jennings or his camp had been hoping for, but Boardman, looking older than his 19 years, was relieved to end his amateur career on a high.

'It took that long for me to get at him,' said the Bristolian.

'He hits hard. He did hurt me with a couple of punches and he's a big, hard man.'

It was a sensational end to an exciting four-bout run after the interval.

Before the break, Bristol had lost all four contests, but after it, they came into their own with three wins out of four.

For the second time in recent months, the highly rated welterweight, James Woolnough, lost on points to the tough and confident Lewis van Poetsch who reckoned his opponent had improved since the previous time they had clashed in December.

The 2006 Western Counties champion from Lydney said Woolnough had troubled him.

'At the end of the first round, I thought, God, I could lose this one.'

But thereafter van Poetsch - Poochie to his colleagues - took charge of a bout in which neither man ever looked like being seriously rattled.

'He's a strong lad,' said the visitor who made good use of body punches and, in the final round, landed one particularly good right to the chin.

The judges scored the bout 11-8, 15-11, 11-8 in van Poetsch's favour.

Novice Steve Owen's latest venture into the ring ended in painful and colourful disappointment.

The super-heavyweight contest ended in the second with the big Amalgamated Boys' Club boxer taking heavy punishment from the southpaw, Rocky Broadway.

The Englishman was simply too mobile and skilful for Owen who bravely took everything coming his way without returning much.

By the end, midway through the second, Owen's nose was bleeding heavily and a stoppage was the only sensible decision for the man in white.

But there was some cheer for the home fans.

Light-heavyweight Wayne Calladine stopped Barney McDonagh in the third of three entertaining rounds, while there were good points wins for juniors Adam Baker and Tom Maunder and Perry Bentley stopped his opponent.

All three continue to improve with experience and the same can be said of Alderney junior Chris Sumner who edged a terrific bout with John Thorne.

Both boys displayed a good range of punching, stamina and movement but it was Sumner who won on all three cards - 18-8, 14-7, 15-6.

Coach Paul Rose was delighted with his protege.

'He's got some lovely little moves with little parries and jabs. He thinks of everything and has good footwork.'

Bentley, son of former Guernsey boxer Lee, won the prize for the best local junior performance, while the van Poetsch-Woolnough was adjudged best bout.

But, for excitement and the unexpected twist, nothing could compete with the Boardman-Jennings bout.

The punters will be talking about this one for years.