It was bundles of guts however no glory for Kurt Walker in Nottingham on Saturday evening.
The Belfast grabbed the handles of the apple cart when he fought the gifted Liam Davies on the Damage Sport invoice, however simply didn’t have sufficient about him to upset it.
The 30-year-old proved himself an underdog with chew though couldn’t fairly sink his tooth within the former European, British and English champ, in the end dropping for the primary time in his profession.
The Belfast featherweight took a leap up, hoping to defy the chances and construct on spectacular wins over domestic-level foes James Beech and Lyon Woodstock when he took on the fittingly named ‘Harmful’.
Nevertheless, it proved a step up too far for the Olympian. The Queensberry boxer had manner an excessive amount of by means of expertise and was extraordinarily spectacular over 12 rounds.
The Canal BC did strive every little thing to win, even ditching his typical abilities method in a bid to out-will the English boxer. It was gallant, but it surely wasn’t profitable, and he misplaced by 117-11, 115-113, 116-112 card.
Each fighters had successes within the first spherical, with Walker exhibiting flashes of his famed skillset, whereas attempting to discourage the Telford native from coming ahead with willful abandon by firing in some proper fingers.
Nevertheless, Davies did look the extra bodily imposing and did handle to take centre ring from the off.
The Canal BC graduate wasn’t as fleet-footed within the second, and once more his pedigree was evident, but it surely was Davies’ spherical. The English fighter was discovering actual rhythm, was profitable the battle of the jabs and was whipping in heavy pictures.
The stylist marched ahead behind a excessive guard within the third, in search of a struggle for the primary time in his professional profession. He discovered a keen dance associate in Davies however did sufficient to battle his manner into the struggle.
Some strong proper fingers and physique pictures with roots in strong toes allowed the Belfast man make a constructive begin to the fourth. Davies did reply however took some left hooks and was backed as much as the ropes for the primary time within the conflict.
The Irish facet of a what was turning into an entertaining bout combined it up within the fifth, making Davies miss and attempting to make him pay. It was one other hard-to-score stanza however the Queensberry fighter was discovering it more durable to land.
A assured nod on the finish of the sixth recommended the Tokyo Olympian was joyful together with his work and rising in confidence. He was making the previous European champion miss however there was a sense the upper work fee of ‘Harmful’ might have caught the judges eye.
The Jamie Conlan managed fighter landed the shot of spherical seven, a giant left hook and didn’t actually take something flush, but nonetheless Davies’ output and stress probably gained him the session.
To his credit score, the house fighter didn’t enable himself to get pissed off, at all times seemed highly effective and affected person by the top of the eighth had an air of a fighter who felt he was set to take over.
30-year-old Walker returned to marching ahead and confirmed actual braveness throughout 9. Nevertheless, Davies appeared to welcome the tactic, was relaxed within the tried storm, seemed recent, and was utilizing all his expertise to handle proceedings.
Walker was nonetheless stuffed with effort, nonetheless touchdown and scoring with some huge proper fingers within the tenth, though the consensus going into the championship rounds was he wanted a knockout to defeat the standard Davies. The previous English and British title holder simply had extra manner by nouse and expertise.
Amazingly, Walker upped the tempo throughout the final two, placing in an enormous effort, abandoning a method that has served him so nicely all via his profession in an try to grab victory from the jaws of defeat.
Nevertheless, Davies by no means seemed flustered, appeared extraordinarily comfy with the tempo and on the new weight, and remained fluid till the ultimate bell.
