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Brave Conrad Cummings stopped on his feet by special Danny Dignum shot

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Mr Dynamite couldn’t relight the career fuse again in York Hall tonight, as Danny Dignum produced a career lift off moment on the top of the latest #MTKFightNight.

Dignum became the first fighter to stop the Coalisland fighter, forcing Howard Foster to jump in 31 seconds into round 5 of the WBO European ranking title fight.

Typical of Cummings he went out on his shield and was stopped on his feet after shipping a sensational shot.

The English fighter was winning the rounds, but was put under pressure from the start by Cummings. The Tyrone fighter’s fans would have been hoping Dignum would tire in the second half of the fight, but we never got the chance to see if he would wain.

Early in the fifth he produced the punch of his career to register a statement win.

Cummings marched forward from the opening bell trying to put pressure on a fighter new to this level. However, he failed to let his hands go. Dignum was catching the Coalisland fighter clean coming in, found a home for the left upper cut, drew blood from Cummings nose and won the round.

A slow start was made worse when in the second Cummings was docked for use of the forearm by Howard Foster in the first minute of the second. The Gerard McManus trained fighter did enjoy flashes of success in the remainder of the stanza, but his opponent boxed well of a southpaw jab and for the most part was able to offset the advancing Irish fighter before he could set his feet to throw.

Cummings continued to be brave and game in the third, but couldn’t find a range from which to work off. He did enjoy some success, landing two nice lefts in particular, Dignum looked the more assured, continued to land the cleaner shots and possibly most important was able to negate Cummings on the inside.

The fourth saw Cummings warned again for use of the forearm during the clinch. A clash of heads also open a cut over his left eye of the former champion and the sight of blood seemed to spur his opponent on. Dignum proceeded to have his best round, landing big left hooks and beautiful uppers on the smiling face of Cummings.

30 seconds into the fifth and the fight was over. Not long after a straight left hand was landed, Dignum landed a sensational around the corner long left that had the Tyrone fighter gone on his feet.

Typical of Cummings he didn’t hit the deck, but Howard Foster was right to jump in and protect the Irish fighter from taking a free shot.

The defeat was Cummings fourth career reverse and his first by stoppage. Post his last defeat he slipped into a bad place and half the victory was getting back to the ring. The hope is he will be in a better place to deal with this reverse and he retains the positive wider positive outlook he has shown of late.

dpg

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

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