Barnsley boxer calls out Dronfield rival after victory

Home town boy Ben Davies saved the best to the last on a spicy bill at Barnsley Metrodome.
Ben DaviesBen Davies
Ben Davies

He stopped Polish opponent Adam Grabjec in the sixth round to claim his ninth career win, and an international middleweight belt.

The 27-year-old Dodworth scrapper wore his rival down before the punishment was stopped a minute into the sixth by referee Michael Alexander ending the Carl Greaves promotion in style.

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Davies, hero of the “Flat Cap Army” said: “I needed rounds and got a few in the bank. It was hard to look good against that sort of opponent, same as my last one really (Deividas Sajauka.) They had only been stopped once between the both of them in 51 contests and I managed to get them both out and get a few rounds under the belt. So all set for 2017 now to push on.

Lewis Taylor weigh inLewis Taylor weigh in
Lewis Taylor weigh in

“I would love a rematch with Lewis Taylor (who also won on Friday’s bill) with some proper notice. The first fight (Taylor won in 2014) wasn’t me at my best; I didn’t spar as I was on holiday for one of the two weeks, so it would be nice to get it on again for a title of some sort or an eliminator.”

The only other stoppage of the evening came via Rotherham-born welterweight Nathan Hardy who saw off Manchester’s Will O’Reilly one round shy of the planned four rounds.

Meanwhile manager David Coldwell had two fighters new to his stable out. Dronfield’s Taylor outpointed Bartlomiej Grafka, of Poland. The middleweight had his hands full at times against a persistent, rugged Pole.

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“He was very strong and kept coming forward” said Taylor. “But I blasted my ring rust off and felt I performed well and can now move on to bigger things. Fighting Ben again would be a backward step. I want to get bigger names. Like getting back in the mix with Tommy Langford.”

Lewis Taylor weigh inLewis Taylor weigh in
Lewis Taylor weigh in

Another Coldwell signing Carl Spencer, a Bentley heavyweight, had to settle for a draw with Kamil Sokolowski. Spencer has been out of the game since fighting Sheffield’s Carl Baker back in 2013. is tie with Sokolowski, who has a limited, losing record, at least gets him back in the swing of things.

There was a points win for Barnsley’s Jack Churchill over Billy Parker, of Southampton and Doncaster’s Jason Cunningham over Harvey Hemsley.

The two winning featherweights will know be plotting to out-do each other in March, they contest the Central Area featherweight title at Doncaster Dome.

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Sheffield super welterweight Dan West chalked up his first win, over Liam Griffiths, of Bognor Regis.

There were point wins also for:

Gleadless Light Heavyweight Chris Dutton over Iain Jackson of Brighton.

Sheffield Lightweight Lee Connelly over Ibrar Riyaz of Reading

Welterweight Tom Young over Liam Wright of Sheffield.