Search for
Search for
Search forBrown is frustrated by a brutal two-point loss
Monday, November 17, 2008, 07:00
In a surprisingly bruising and often brutal six-rounder, Brown was left frustrated with himself while Latvian Skuja took away a 59-57 points victory.
Brown bravely tried to box behind his jab against the aggressive Skuja, who had come to Plymouth with a game plan of bullying his less-experienced rival out of his rhythm.
And it worked as Brown was never able to dominate the contest and was always in danger from Skuja's big rights.
London-based Skuja, defeated by Johnny Harrison's left lead last November at the same venue, was determined not to fall into the same trap this time.
Skuja was in Brown's face throughout the fight, quite literally at times, and referee Grant Wallis had to warn him over using his head dangerously.
But by that time the damage had been done as Brown had to fight the second half of the contest with a cut to the side of his left eye, as well as other nicks and bruises.
Brown, 29, looking to bounce back from a stoppage to Ollie Newham in Nottingham in May, made a sound start to his fourth pro contest.
Boxing behind his left jab, Brown went into the third round, on my card at least, two rounds ahead, while Skuja had been warned by Wallis for a low blow.
However, Skuja seized his chance in the third round, catching Brown with right hooks and forcing both the pace and his opponent back onto the ropes.
It was a similar pattern in the fourth with Brown, by now smeared with grease to protect his cut, on the back foot with Skuja's right targeting the damaged zone.
Brown rallied in the fifth although Skuja was a constant threat but, on my card, the fight was even going into the final three minutes.
And although Brown gamely stuck to his task of trying to dominate from the centre of the ring, so did Skuja and it was the latter's pressure which paid off with his fifth career-victory.
Carl Drake produced the perfect performance to put his previous disappointing ring appearance behind him, with a third-round stoppage of Simon Fleck.
Drake, stepping up a weight category to middleweight, held far too much power for Fleck, flicking the latter's head back with venomous left leads and following up with crushing rights.
The Plymothian, who had been stopped in the first round by experienced Welshman Taz Jones at the Guildhall back in June, had much to prove against Leicester's Fleck.
Drake also avenged a drawn eight-rounder with Fleck in October 2007 which the 33-year-old was convinced he had won.
But more importantly, the emphatic and disciplined manner of the victory will help to erase the memory of the TKO to Jones for the international masters light middleweight crown in the summer.
Drake, who was sharing top billing with Paul Brown, forced the pace from the first bell and rang Fleck's early warning system with a heavy and accurate right.
Although Fleck was trying to use his left jab as a riposte, Drake, too, was scoring tellingly with his lead.
It was a similar pattern in the second round, with Drake stalking Fleck and bloodying his rival's nose with accurate left jabs.
It seemed only a matter of time before the pace and the punches would tell on Fleck's resistance and so it proved to be in the third when Drake unloaded a great right to the head.
Pinned on the ropes and with nowhere to escape, referee Reece Carter jumped in after 55 seconds to prevent Fleck from taking any further punishment.
Drake saluted his big fan base, who gave their man a rousing reception.
High-quality, low-cost self-install uPVC vertical sliding sash windows. Manufactured to your specifications and delivered to you in super quick time. Check out our prices.
www.newspaceconservatories.co.uk
Voted Britain’s Favourite DIY store Free delivery on orders over £45.
Pet Insurance- 5% Online Discount
UK Pet Insurance. Buy instantly online. From just £4.85 per month.
Comment on this story