ALL CHANGE

Bill-topper cancelled at the last minute due to boxer illness

- Andy Whittle

A CLEAR plastic bag on the dressing room floor at Whites revealed what moments earlier had been the contents of Nicaraguan Francisco Fonseca’s stomach – though the sheer amount of the stuff made one wonder if not only he but several individuals had contributed to its volume.

Rumours abounded at ringside, as they do at such a time, when just before he was due to take to the ring in the headliner against Crayford’s Alex Dilmaghani, word spread that Fonseca had been taken ill; the bizarrest of which suggested he might be allowed to box an hour or so later if deemed fit.

Thankfully it proved just that – a rumour – and the English superwelterweight title bout between Bolton’s Jack Flatley and unbeaten Derby challenger “Horrible” Harry Scarff was duly promoted to bill topping status.

While there might not have been too much daylight between the pair in the opening two or three stanzas, by the fourth the busier Harry was beginning to warm to proceedings; a point emphasised when Jack was left holding momentarily after shipping a heavy left upstairs and a follow-up right.

Scarff ’s biggest danger was seemingly the threat of a point deduction, with referee Mark Lyson lecturing him on more than one occasion for holding and hitting.

THE LAST ROUND LEFT ONLOOKERS WITH NO DOUBT ABOUT THE WINNER

Harry’s wide-legged southpaw stance meant that at times Jack was struggling to get close enough to land anything of any real note. Responding to his corner’s exhortations to press forward, the Derby man made sure late on with a greater percentage success rate and being equally effective on those occasions he switched to orthodox.

A particularly strong closing session, which began with Harry landing a huge looping right, left onlookers in little doubt as to whose arm was going to be raised at the finish.