Crank Whitehouse – “I was a different class”

Crank Whitehouse [5(1)-0] looked better than ever at the National Stadium on Saturday in his first fight in twelve months – but it looks like the Balbriggan welter is set for another spell on the sidelines.

The 21 year old stepped up to six rounds on the Red Corner Promotions ‘Inception’ show and defeated the massively game Spaniard Segio Abad (60:55) in a Fight of the Year contender.

While the Fingal fighter was delighted with his performance, he has been left cursing his luck following a re-emergence of a troubling hand injury.

Describing his performance, Whitehouse told Irish-Boxing.com that “I’ve been out of the ring a year and I’ve come back and won every round, I was a different class. I boxed the ears off him.”

“I’m happy with my performance. He came to win, and I was landing my shots, I was leading off on the jab then coming in with the hook. Halfway through the second round when I hurt my hand, I start going jab, left hook, switch to the body, and I think he figured it out a little bit which made it tougher.”

“It was my first six rounder, you have to take that into account as well, and I paced myself well, I was smart. He wasn’t going anywhere. He was strong, he was tough, bullied me around, and he threw plenty of shots, but he didn’t land any of them, and I caught most on my elbows. I was very comfortable.”

It was certainly a night of mixed emotions for Whitehouse and, while he was delighted with the victory, he was left disappointed following another hand injury. The Dubliner, who may now be unable to immediately build on this win, explained how “after the second round I hit him with a punch and I just splattered it. It’s very frustrating, I’m after spending a year out and I get back in and goes on me again.”

“It’s very frustrating, I had two fights lined up. In Belfast this month, then Tony had a fight lined up for me in England, and now they wont be happening.”

Photo Credit: Laszlo Geczo Photography