Headline News

All about Summer Brawl- wins for McCrory, Tennyson, McAleer, McCarthy and Rabei

Feargal McCrory proved the perfect dessert on the Summer Brawl card that is uniquely part dinner show at the Europa Hotel on Saturday night.

The Tyrone native took a step toward a super featherweight Commonwealth title shot with victory on the second fight night to be hosted in Belfast this weekend.

The Irish super featherweight gave his coach John Breen – 69 today – the perfect birthday present as he stopped Elvis Guillen within a round.

‘Fearless’ was initially meant to face a game Nicaraguan Yesner Talvera, but ended up with late replacement from the same country- and played his part ensuring Elvis left the building early, while his sizable supporters exited stage left singing.

john breen feargal

McCrory will now be keeping a close eye as English contenders Zelfa Barrett and Lyon Woodstock against each other battle it out for the vacant Commonwealth title on the undercard of Josh Warrington v Kid Galahad come June 15th.

The Coal Island fighter is keen to fight for the strap and is said to be close to having his wish granted.

The John Breen trained fighter, who defeated Karl Kelly last time out, was composed from the off. For the first two minutes of the round he looked patient, happy to picking his shots.

The straight left couldn’t miss nor the right hook to the body. It appeared as if the Commonwealth title hopeful was going to pace himself as he stood of after twice after hurting his foe.

However, with the round drawing to a close he let fly with a barrage and the referee had no options but to step in 2:46 into the stanza.

James Tennyson cemented his status as Ireland’s biggest puncher while helping Brayan Mairena he is one of the toughest journeymen on the circuit.

tenny

The recent super featherweight world title challenger continued his lightweight transition with a second round stoppage.

Granted Tenny was always going to win this fight, but the power on display was only matched in terms of impressiveness by the bravery of the journey man.

It was clear Mairena tasted the Mark Dunlop managed fighters power from the off, but while he didn’t find it appetizing it didn’t force him into his shell.

The Nicaraguan continued to try and fight, but after taking some serious punishment the referee showed real mercy and rescued him late in the second.

It was only the second time the experienced road warrior was stopped and the 20th time the 25 year old, whose team are trying to set up a clash with Matchroom’s Joe Cordina,  won within the distance.

Tennyson did what he does in the first round, he marched forward and let calculated heavy shots go. Mairena was game and tried to fire back, but was hurt by nigh on every shot the former European champion landed.

His head was rattled back by a jab, an upper cut to the solarplexes widened his eyes, but in truth the majority of shots landed looked like the did damage.

Tennyson moved up a gear in the second and it wasn’t long before the crowd began to seriously pity the Nicaraguan.

Under heavy fire from ‘The Assassin’ the away fighter was admirably brave, indeed after he remained on his feet after one serious right hand and an upper cut a watching punter remarked he had a better chin than one Wayne McCullough.

A well timed left hook then seemed certain to send the renowned tough journey man to the canvas, but he somehow remained on standing, but he was taken out of his misery soon after.

Much to his credit the experienced operator went out on his feet against one of if not Irish boxing’s biggest puncher.

A big right hand buckled his legs again, his hands and head dropped for the first time and the referee jumped in just as the towel was making it’s way into the ring.

Cathy McAleer registered somewhat of a statement win in just her third fight.

The 40 year old registered the first stoppage of her now three fight career stopping Cristina Busuioc 1:20 into round two.

cathy mcaleer

The victory proved significant as the Belfast fighter stopped a boxer that took Matchroom fighter Shannon Courtney six rounds.

Courtney is a fight Team McAleer want and one they building toward- this win will give them call out ammunition.

Busuioc came out firing machine gun like once the bell sounded and showed real ambition in the first round. The away fighter showed some good footwork on occasion and used the ring, but McAleer began to figure her out and landed some meaty shots in an entertaining round. The left hook up and the shots downstairs were particularly impressive and borderline vicious.

The former kick boxing world champion and MMA convert forced the issue from the start of the second. The John Breen trained fighter bullied her foe to the ropes and let fly with accurate and heavy shots. The body work took away her foe’s bounce and enabled a more accurate McAleer work up close.

Busuioc remained brave but couldn’t get away from the pressure or produce anything to keep the determined and ever entertaining McAleer off and the fight was stopped 1:20 into the round.

The world’s greatest fighter according eight year old Branna registered the cards first stoppage win further down the card.

Cruiserweight Tommy McCarthy helped make  his daughter’s Communion all the more special as he bounced back from his Sky Sports broadcast defeat to Richard Riakporhe by defeating Jiri Svacina for a second time in three months.

tommy mccarthy

The popular Belfast big man, who still has one Matchroom fight on his contract, looked determined to get the stoppage against ‘a melt’ of an opponent who he cruised to an eight round points victory over in February

The fighter who holds a top ten British ranking snapped out an effective jab against the awkward journey man in the first and looked to work the body against a fighter that was backing up to the ropes that often it appeared he wanted out of the ring.

An exaggerated lean allowed him to ride a big right hand on the bell that may have caused damage if it landed flush.

McCarthy continued the body work early in the second and targeted the chest with straight rights. He twice knocked the Czech fighter out of the ring in the second, but while shots were involved the first a lovely short left hook, Svacina’s tendency to sit on the ropes played a part.

McCarthy upped the pressure in the third determined to get a stoppage in his second fight this year against the same opponent.

Some big right hands and the increased tempo troubled his foe and under a a prolonged ‘Mac Attack’ the referee jumped to his rescue 1:50 into the stanza.

McCarthy’s daughter Branna dressed to impress celebrated her Dad’s win in the ring on the day of her Communion. The eight year old proceeded to give us one of the sweetest moments a ring has seen when she took to mic to tell the crowd they just witnessed ‘the greatest boxer in the world’ register victory.

Victor Rabei didn’t quite live up to his new ring moniker as he opened the show with a solid win over Lesther Cantillano.

victor rabei

A fighter, who was more counter punch in impressive wins in three all Irish clashes, took a more impressive approach into the ring and was at times more vicious Victor than Slick Vic.

The Dubliner, whose last two wins played out on TV, was a little upset he didn’t register stoppage victory, but won every round to register a 40-36 points win.

Rabei was aggressive from the off and stalked his foe in the first round. The Dubliner looked for passage past the guard, picking shots to good effect. The away fighter was hurt by an upper cut, which was called from deep within the crowd, right at the death, but ‘Rabei didn’t have time to capitalize.

Possibly aware Rabei wasn’t looking to coast Cantillano was more aggressive in the second in a bid to make his opponent wary, but the Moldovan Dub punished his opponents ambition and landed some crisp shots that returned his opponent to his shell.

The combinations flowed more readily in the third, but it was two single left hooks and beautifully timed uppercut that buzzed the former Sean McComb and Davy Oliver Joyce foe.

The BUI Celtic champion and Irish title hopeful pushed for the stoppage in the final stanza and did land clean on a number of occasions, but Cantillano showed why he has only been stopped four times in 28 defeats and made the final bell.

dpg

logo may

Jonny Stapleton

Irish-boxing.com contributor for 15 years and editor for the past decade. Have been covering boxing for over 16 years and writing about sports for a living for over 20 years. Former Assistant Sports editor for the Gazette News Paper Group and former Tallaght Voice Sports Editor. Have had work published in publications around the world when working as a freelance journalist. Also co-founder of Junior Sports Media and Leinster Rugby PRO of the Year winner. email: editoririshboxing@gmail.com

x