Full Report: Edwards Defeats
Usman In Stoke
June 3, 2009
(JUNE 3) The Fenton Manor Sports
Complex in Stoke-on-Trent, England, was the scene of Chris Edwards
retaining his British and Commonwealth flyweight titles with a well
deserved 12 round points verdict over opponent Usman Ahmed on Friday
night.
Edwards, 13-13-3 (4), mounted a trademark hyper-busy attack, pressing
Ahmed, 5-2-1 (0), for the majority of the bout.
Ahmed, who lost his professional debut to Edwards in 2006, bravely tried
to trade shots but didn't have the power to keep the champion off.
It was a clinic in attack and disruption from Edwards, who swept the
cards 118-109, 118-109 and 117-111 to move one step closer to a European
title challenge.
Super feather hopeful Gary Sykes, 12-0 (4), won a British title
eliminator by defeating top rival prospect Anthony Crolla, 13-2 (5),
over ten rounds by a score of 97-94.
Sykes unleashed the best performance of his career at the right time,
outhustling the determined Crolla to become British champion Kevin
Mitchell's mandatory challenger.
Irish Olympic hero Darren Sutherland, 3-0 (3), put on another thrilling
performance by finishing off journeyman Vepkhia Tchilaia, 9-10-5 (0), in
the fourth.
Tchilaia had given Sutherland's amateur rival James Degale a tough
contest during a loss in February but the Georgian couldn't withstand
the brutal body assault launched by Sutherland, who has yet to be taken
the distance since turning pro last December.
Former Mauritius amateur star Michael Frontin, 2-5-1 (0), finally
realized his potential as a professional by upsetting ex-English
beltholder Scott Haywood, 19-4 (4), at light welter.
Tricky stylist Frontin pulled off a stellar display of boxing but
cemented the victory by flooring Haywood in the fifth with a
picture-perfect right uppercut enroute to posting a 58-56 decision win.
Flyweight Ashley Sexton, 6-0 (3), faced busy veteran Delroy Spencer,
10-86-3 (1), after defeating the Wolverhampton warhorse in October,
outpointing Spencer this time 60-54 after six rounds while another
promising flyweight, Paul Edwards, 5-0 (1), won by the same margin over
Francis Croes, 0-5 (0).
Featherweight Samir Mouneimne, 2-0-1 (0), handed Lee Selby, 4-1 (0), a
first defeat, 39-37, after four tough rounds while Chris Riley, 1-1-1
(0), came off the canvas to narrowly rack up his first victory, 38-37,
against difficult spoiler Youssef Al Hamidi, 5-19-1 (1), also at
feather.
Chris Edwards photo copyright Jane Warburton/MMG. Source/PR
