Bill-topper Sumner marks 50th fight in great style
CHRIS SUMNER lived up to his first Beau Sejour top-of-the-bill status with a terrific triumph at the February Fury show.
His light-welterweight bout provided a gripping culmination to the Saturday night epic, where Oblie Botchway and Tom Teers injected further excitement into the end of the programme and furthered Guernsey’s victory margin against UK select opposition.
With Keiran Bailey stepping up at the 11th hour to replace fellow RAF man James Thompson in opposition, Sumner had been assured of a tough contest.
The 20th fight of the night and immediately following a lengthy blow-for-blow exchange of bout wins between the red and blue corner – could Sumner break the chain?
Yes. Bailey certainly put up some resistance throughout the three 3min. rounds contest but the red corner’s Sumner, looking sharp from the start and striking from range, proved a notch above.
Sumner’s staying power also came to the fore as he sealed the split-decision victory.
‘It was unbelievable – definitely a highlight of my career and that was my 50th fight, 30th win and on the anniversary,’ said a fighter who debuted at ‘Beausie’ 14 years ago but had not topped the bill until Saturday.
‘It was a really special night tonight.
‘I could have easily got dragged into a war and lost at his game, which would have been on the inside, making a scrappy fight.
‘I tried to stay away from that and use my boxing skills, and I think I’d done that quite well.’
More in Monday's Guernsey Press.
