Clayton's corner left to fume at decision
A Shropshire boxing club's hopes of lifting the domestic game's most prestigious honour suffered a severe setback, with the Donnington's big guns falling at the first hurdle.
A Shropshire boxing club's hopes of lifting the domestic game's most prestigious honour suffered a severe setback, with the Donnington's big guns falling at the first hurdle.
Both Daniel Smith and heavyweight Elliot Clayton tasted defeat in their first outing on the senior ABA trail.
Only England international Yassar Naseer came through the Midland semi-finals, held at Coventry's Triumph Sports and Social Club, unscathed.
The bantamweight now meets clubmate Jack Fletcher for the Midland title next month. That looks like being a truly cracking encounter.
Clayton, a 24-year-old electrician, was more shell-shocked than angry after dropping a majority decision to David Davis that, to put it mildly, seemed eccentric.
Donnington's chief, Brian Davies, did plenty of talking for him, however, after the three rounder. "That was a truly shocking decision," said Davies, "and it wasn't the only one on the day."
Davis (Trinity) seemed intent on trying to ruffle the more cultured Clayton, grappling and grabbing in a bid to derail the Hadley fighter.
Those tactics earned him a public warning in the second and, by the third, Elliot was dictating matters behind a stiff jab - or so it seemed.
The announcement of a majority decision came as a surprise, however the announcement of a majority decision in Davis' favour came as a bombshell.
The hard work Daniel Smith put in the gym to make the cruiserweight limit counted for nothing as Shaun Barclay used speed to nullify the 30-year-old postman's raw power.
Connect
Only once did Smith connect with full, numbing force. To his credit, Barclay (Trinity) showed guts to absorb the second round bomb and come back strongly and, in the end, there can be no arguments about the decision in Barclay's favour.
Naseer's hopes of progressing were bolstered by news that Leigh Woods, the Nottingham fighter who outpointed him at Donnington early in the season, had outgrown the bantamweight division.
Yassar, 20, had a much easier assignment against Kettering's Sean Costello, who had to take some heavy shots on the way to points defeat.
Costello, tall and rangy, was forced back in the first, but rallied as Yassar slackened in the second. However, the Shropshire fighter regained control in the last, punishing Costello with big punches.
Naseer will start a warm favourite against gym-mate Fletcher at Coventry on April 5, but can't afford to drop the tempo in the ring against an all-action, tough as nails, opponent.
