Akrogo rout secures WBU and PBC titles
by Haydn Williams
Paul Peers found the punch of his career to become the new WBU and PBC world welterweight champion on Saturday’s Battle For the Belts staged in front of a packed and raucous crowd at Shirebrook Leisure Centre, Mansfield.
Peers is a fighter who’s improving with each contest. The Liverpudlian, who lives in Orkney and trains in Aberdeen under coach Lee McAllister – himself a multi-beltholder – started this fight against dangerous Ghanaian Samuel Akrogo looking as relaxed and confident as I’ve seen him; testament to the work he’s put it at McAllister’s Assassin’s Gym.
This contest was scheduled for 12 rounds but it was evident from early on that Peers was too big, powerful and, most importantly, skillful for the 34-year-old Ghanaian and a quick finish looked likely.
New champion prepared to defend against all-comers
Peers’ technical superiority was making Akrogo swing wildly and lunge in, and towards the end of the first round a hard right made the visitor’s legs buckle.
The African contender boasted the superior KO percentage, but it was Peers who was proving to have the heavier hands.
Round two followed the same script. Peers landed a hard left hand early in the session to stiffen his opponent’s legs. He kept the pressure on, landing flashy and hard combinations that had Akrogo unsteady as he made his way back to his corner.
The end seemed nigh as the bell rang to start the third, and indeed it was. Peers landed a picture-perfect left hook that put Akrogo down hard.
Credit to the tough Ghanaian for trying to rise, but his legs betrayed him and the referee rightly waved the contest off. The punch was so hard that Akrogo was still wobbly when leaving the ring a good five minutes after the contest had finished.
Peers, having landed the punch of his career, left the ring with two new shiny belts wrapped around him.
Speaking after the fight, Peers credited McAllister for his recent transformation, stating he felt he’s performing better due to how relaxed he feels in the ring and that he’s still learning under the Aberdeen Assassin’s tutelage.
Towl immediately gets back to winning ways
Elsewhere on the card, Hollie Towl returned to action just two weeks after losing her WIBA world title in Australia.
The 18-year-old from Sheffield, who until that fight of the year contender against Beck Hawker was the sport’s youngest incumbent world champion, was matched hard here against the long-limbed Nicaraguan Wendelin Cruz.
The featherweight contest was scheduled for six two-minute rounds, and the action was relentless for the duration.
In an enthralling bout, Towl showed she was made of stern stuff when she shipped a big left hand halfway through the first but came back targeting the torso of the Managua resident for the rest of the round.
If the first round was close, Towl started to show her ability early in the second round when she caught Cruz with a big right hand. The Blonde Bomber was able to back her opponent up and Cruz did well to survive the round after shipping a barrage of punches. The class of Towl was starting to show.
Rounds three and four continued at the frenetic pace both had set. It was the type of fight you could have staged in a phone box. But it was Towl who was getting the better of the exchanges.
In round five, Towl again targeted the body and was able to unload punches on Cruz in the corner. When the bell ended the round, the Nicaraguan looked on shaky legs.
Towl went for the finish in the final round. She threw the kitchen sink at Cruz, who was in survival mode but still throwing back. She deserves immense credit for hearing the final bell.
Towl was awarded a shut-out. She oozed class and at just 18 is one of the country’s brightest talents. It was a great fight that got both boxers a standing ovation at its conclusion.
Carruthers nicks a crowd-pleaser that is sure to go again
Further down the card, Calvin Carruthers and JMP put on a small hall classic.
The middleweight four-rounder had the crowd on the edge of their seats. JMP is a big ticket seller and the fans cheered him on every step of the way.
The contest started at a frantic pace. Carruthers seemed to be edging it until JMP landed a big right hand towards the end of the session. It was anyone’s round and clear to see both were evenly matched.
The second and third rounds followed the same pattern. Carruthers looked to have the edge technically, but JMP had the heavier fists. The third round especially was non-stop, with the crowd becoming more vocal with each punch landed.
In the final round, both boxers showed their incredible fitness. Despite the war of attrition that had already played out, they continued to traded leather right to the last bell.
In was a contest that could have gone either way, Carruthers got the nod by 39-38.
Both parties agreed to a rematch. This was a fantastic fight and a sequel would be welcomed by anyone who witnessed this one.
Upsets, heavyweights and more titles on the undercard
Rounding off the bill, there was a clear points win for Alvis Berzins in his first bout at heavyweight, against Ryan Kilpatrick, and Eleanor Coulson lifted WBU honours.
Coulson claimed middleweight title after her undefeated Mexican opponent, Sandra Lopez Gomez, pulled out at the end of the fifth.
Meanwhile, Nicole Goldsmith suffered an upset defeat, getting pulled out by her corner after six rounds. It was a good call from the corner, as she had taken a lot of punishment against her tough Nicaraguan opponent, Jammileth Vellejos. Goldsmith can learn from this, her first title opportunity (Jane Couch Challenge super-flyweight belt) and come again.
All told, it was another successful Boyle’s Pro Boxing show, with competitive fights and non-stop action throughout.
LINKS
Paul Peers guns for titles, and dreams of revenge
Battle For the Belts event page
Paul Peers athlete bio
Hollie Towl athlete bio
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