Five British Prospects Lose in Saturday Nightmare Golden Contract Tournament
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
In a Saturday night nightmare of a boxing card at Brentwood Centre in Brentwood, Essex, East London, United Kingdom on Saturday, December 14, 2019, five of the six top United Kingdom light heavyweight promising prospects participating endured the agony of defeat in the Golden Contract light heavyweight tournament quarterfinals.
Undefeated 13-0 light heavyweight prospect Tommy Philbin of Kirkliston, Edinburgh, Scotland, got decked twice, and lost by 10 round unanimous decision in an upset to the fighter known as ‘The Bavarian Sniper’, Serge Michel, 10-1 with seven knockouts, Traunreut, Bayern, Germany. It was Michel’s first appearance outside of Germany, and he won by scores of 99-90, 99-90, and 98-90 in enemy territory.
Result: Serge Michel Win 10 Tommy Philbin, Light Heavyweights
Scoring: 99-90, 99-90, 98-90 Michel. Philbin was down twice. Referee: Kieran McCann
Undefeated 9-0-1 light heavyweight prospect Lawrence Osueke of Newcastle, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom, lost to 10-0 Dan Azeez of Lewisham, United Kingdom. Somebody had to win the battle of the prospects, yet another light heavyweight bout with similar scoring which was not close, this time for the vacant British English light heavyweight title.
Result: Dan Azeez Win Lawrence Osueke, Light Heavyweights
Azeez wins vacant BBBofC British English Light Heavyweight title
Scoring: 99-91, 98-92, 98-93 Azeez. Referee: Steve Gray
In a third light heavyweight bust, 10-1 light heavyweight prospect Andre Sterling of New Cross, United Kingdom, got decked by unheralded 17-5-1 Liam Conroy of Barrrow In Furness, United Kingdom, a five loss fighter, en route to losing an upset 10 round decision.
Scoring: 98-91, 97-92,96-94 Conroy. Sterling down in seventh round. Referee: Steve Gray
19-3 southpaw light heavyweight prospect Bob ‘Lionheart’ Ajisafe of Leeds, Yorkshire, United Kingdom, became the fourth light heavyweight of the night to go down, getting decked by a right hand only six seconds into the bout, and losing by 10 round decision to 24-1 Hosea ‘The Hammer’ Burton of Carrington, Lancashire, United Kingdom. Granted, Burton is also a legitimate rising contender. Considering Ajisafe stuck around for all 10 rounds after getting knocked down in the opening seconds of the bout, and then trialing on the cards all night, it was a tough luck bout to lose.
Result: Hosea Burton Win 10 Bob Ajisafe, Light Heavyweights
Scoring: 99-90, 99-92, 98-91 Burton. Ajijsafe down in first round. Referee: Phil Edwards
In the worst light heavyweight bust of the night, 12-0 light heavyweight prospect Steven ‘The Quiet Man’ Ward of Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, got decked three times in the first round and lost his World Boxing Organization European Light Heavyweight title in an upset by automatic technical knockout to visiting journeyman 15-5-1 Ricards Bolotniks of Riga, Latvia, another five loss fighter. Bolotniks has five knockouts in the first two rounds, so he has power, which the Ward corner evidently did not expect to encounter.
Result: Ricards Bolotniks TKO 1 Steven Ward, Light Heavyweights (2:21)
Bolotniks wins World Boxing Organization European Light Heavyweight title
Bolotniks knocked down Ward three times in first. Automatic TKO. Referee: Phil Edwards
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