(JUNE 30)
VIP Promotions in association with KBP last Saturday night, 25th
June 2011 staged another of their Professional Boxing evenings
at The George Carnell Centre , a modern sporting and leisure
facility in Urmston, Manchester, England.
Run successfully since their first tournament in April 1996, by
husband and wife team, Stephen and Lynne Wood , VIP Promotions
have grown to be arguably the premier promoter in the Manchester
area. It showed in their efficient organisation as the evening
progressed.
The Master of Ceremonies’ announced - BOUT FIVE¬ - this ladies
Lightweight fight as the Top of The Bill.
Local girl MAXINE McCARTHY (4-0-0) was having her fifth boxing
match - ever - having never fought as a amateur.
An attractive friendly intelligent young lady with hazel eyes
and blond braided hair, her strong personality and undoubted
ability has enabled her to become a successful well known local
business woman owning a clothes shop and adjacent beauty salon
near Worsley, Salford. England.
32-year-old McCARTHY is one of the youngest of a colourful Irish
family of 3 sisters and 6 brothers, Boxing is in her blood. Her
father boxed professionally as “ Derek McCarthy “ and “Pat
McCarthy” having over 130 fights ! He, and numerous other
members of her family were at the ringside to give her noisy
encouragement!
She was educated at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive
School in Eccles where she was a sports champion. Since her
first fight on the 10th, April 2010 against ZSOFIA BEDO she has
completed her studies at Salford University and gained a B.Sc
degree in Sports Science.
Her opponent, was GALINA IVANOVA GUMLIISKA aged 37 from Sofia in
Bulgaria who does not speak English.
She is a very experience professional boxer having had 28 fights
since she started her career on 19th, August 1997. She boxes out
of the famous MICHAEL SIMOV’S gym in Sofia and has fought some
of the best women boxers including former World Champions such
as INA MENZER, SILKE WEICKENMEIER, ESTHER SCHOUTEN and Britain’s
own JANE COUCH, and European Champion ANITA CHRISTENSEN,
Although weighing in 12 pounds lighter than McCARTHY at 5 foot 6
inches tall she had a height and reach advantage.
First into the ring’s Blue Corner, GUMLIISKA was soberly clad
all in black with a sleeveless sports vest and mini skirt.
McCARTHY, was much more brightly dressed in a black sports bra
and abbreviated silver and leopard skin satin trunks with the
words “Mad Max” embroidered onto the front of her waist band and
“Josie” on the back..
Standing in the Red Corner she displayed her beautiful walnut
coloured muscular body, the product of 9 years training as an
amateur body builder.
She acknowledged the excited whistles and clapping of her
supporters.
At the bell McCARTHY adopted her by now characteristic fighting
stance of putting her head down, charging her opponent, raining
swinging left and right hooks to any part of GUMLIISKA that she
could reach. GUMLIISKA responded by grabbing hold of her. She
threw a number of punches of her own – some straight lefts, and
short hooks, but none with much accuracy or weight.
The fight settled into a pattern for the 4 rounds. Violent
fighting clinches, mainly instigated by McCARTHY, with both
women holding their opponent, principally around the neck.
It seemed that GUMLIISKA used this tac tic to stop McCARTHY from
hitting her , whilst McCARTHY appeared to use a similar tac tic,
but the better to hit her opponent !
Referee MARK LYSON had a very busy job throughout the contest
separating the women’s “ wrestling matches “ and admonishing
both for breaching the rules.
This was an all action 4 round scrap with McCARTHY constantly
taking the fight to her opponent.
A classical demonstration of the finer technical points of
boxing; it was not!
However for guts and determination McCARTHY could not be
faulted. GUMLIISKA stood her ground, but was generally
overwhelmed by the ferocity and vigour of McCARTHY’S attacks.
GUMLIISKA’S style of keeping her right glove up high whilst
dropping her left to waist level did not prove effective against
McCARTHY’s multihanded attacks. McCARTHY switched from orthodox
to southpaw and back again in her mix of leads;
When the final bell sounded the Referee had no hesitation in
raising McCARTHY’S arm as the clear winner. She had been in
command from the first bell!
She now advances to 5 wins, no losses, no draws and GUMLIISKA
drops to 8 wins, 21 losses, no draws.
In an exclusive interview with your correspondent after the
fight McCARTHY disclosed that although on paper GUMLISKA was the
most formidable woman which she had fought ; her fight on the
6th, November 2010 against POLINA PENCHEVA which had been
televised on Eurosport had been toughest fight.
With her next fight probably in October 2011 McCARTHY is looking
to raise her game further with her next opponent . She is knows
that she must do this to achieve her British, Irish and World
title ambitions.
There were four male bouts on the card:
BOUT ONE
MARK EVANS v STEVE GETHIN - 6 x 2 Super Featherweight
EVANS ( record 1 – 0 – 0 ) aged 30 from Anglesey , Wales
weighing in at 132 pounds beat GETHIN ( record 11 – 61 – 3 )
aged 21 from Walsall, West Midlands, weighing in at 136 pounds
on points 60 to 54
BOUT TWO
ARRON MICHAEL jnr v RYAN CLARK. 4 x 3 Super Middleweight
MICHAEL ( record 1 – 0 – 0 ) aged 25 from Middleton, Lancashire,
weighing in at 163 pounds beat CLARK ( record 1– 33 – 4) aged 21
from Waddington, Lincolnshire weighing in at 171 pounds on
points 39 to 37
BOUT THREE
MARTIN GRAINGER v HOWARD DALEY 6 x 2 Cruiserweight
GRAINGER ( record 6 – 4 – 0 ) aged 26 from Heywood, Lancashire,
weighing in at 163 pounds beat DALEY ( record 2 – 24 – 2 ) aged
34 from Preston, Lancashire weighing in at 213 pounds on points
60 to 54
BOUT FOUR
ASHLEY MAYALL v KRISTAIN LAIGHT 6 x 2 Lightweight
MAYALL ( record 0 – 0 – 0 ) who was making his professional
debut, aged 18 from Oldham, Lancashire, weighing in at 141pounds
beat LAIGHT, who had been boxing professionally since 26th,
September 2003,. ( record 6 – 97 – 4 ) aged 31 from Nuneaton,
Warwickshire weighing in at 138 pounds on points 60 to 56
© John E.G.Wilson.
N.U.J. Words = 1,236
Text and pictures : Copyright John E.G.Wilson.