Conlan, Wilton impress at Kings Hall
16 December 2010 – Cormac Campbell
Flyweights played a major part of the Kings Hall undercard with local fans keen to see how prospects Jamie Conlan and Luke Wilton would fare both against each other and the winner of the British title fight between Shinny Bayaar and Paul Edwards.
Wilton opened the show with a revenge victory over Usman Ahmed. Uzzy had defeated the Eastside man on points in Dublin in 2008 but two years on Wilton was a more confident, more polished and more powerful beast. As early as the first round Wilton had Ahmed on the floor with a tasty right hand. Although there were to be no further knockdowns, Wilton was to dominate the rest of the six rounder. There were concerns at ringside that he would not be able to maintain the high octane pace that he was setting but he did picking up a 59-55 verdict from referee Ritchie Davis.
Conlan for his part was going through his full repertoire of slick skills in dismantling the very average Francis Croes. That was until Croes shoulder appeared to fall out of its socket and the fight had to be stopped by doctors in the corner before the start of the fourth.
A bout between the two local lads would undoubtedly make for a major Ulster Hall attraction with Wilton likely to press forward and Conlan attempting to pick him off as he advances.
As regards Bayaar and Edwards? We are none the wiser. The bout was stopped in the very first round after an accidental clash of heads split champion Bayaars forehead open. The bloodflow prompted the immediate stoppage of the contest with the same ridiculous rule that saw Damien Kelly lose the same title to Keith Knox in 1999 affording victory and the title to Edwards. As such it is highly unlikely that Conlan or Wilton will receive a shot before Bayaar and Edwards rematch.
Elsewhere on the Kings Hall undercard, Tommy Tolan suffered a painful second round stoppage defeat to Olympic bronze medallist Tony Jeffries. Jeffries sustained a cut in the second round from a clash of heads. But rather than risk the doctors getting involved he piled in, landing a piston-like 1-2-3 combination that laid the Belfastman out on the canvas after just 1.03 of the round.
Ryan Greene and Brian Cusack extended their unbeaten records with 39-37 points victories over Simon Lucas and Ianto Jenkins respectively. Mike Harvey also recorded the first win of his career with a points victory over Dan Carr. Debutant Tony Nellins who dresses and fights like a mini Mike Tyson also claimed victory with a win over Jason Carr.
