Curtis settles old score and regains British title
Allan Clarkin owner and chief instructor at the Black Nights Gym in Burnley returned to promoting after a seven year break to host a British Championship card billed as Rumble of the Roses on the 20th June at Burnley football club.
The main event was a British Title defence by Kevin Beckett of his light-middleweight Full Contact kickboxing title against No. 1 contender and former Champion Jason Curtis. This was a contentious re-match, Curtis lost the title in April 2008 to Aaron Robinson who later opted to drop to Super-welterweight and vacated the title. Curtis faced Beckett last November for the vacant crown. It was a close contest with Beckett winning a unanimous decision but only by one point on each judges score card. Curtis was not best pleased to say the least but Beckett said he would be happy to fight him again.
Due to recent ISKA UK rule changes the two athletes had nine rounds to complete so were they up to it had they done the road work? Both lads looked ready both full of confidence and ready to get it on.
Round after round of fast exchanges of combination of kicks and punches, lots of power shots coming from Curtis but with the South Paw stance and great defence skills of Beckett made it hard to hit clean with all the techniques. This was Full Contact kickboxing at its best, Curtis’s determination to take the title kept Beckett on the back foot most of the fight, driving him onto the ropes, were he showed his skill of counter attack turning off the ropes and coming back with sharp short punches. Curtis kept up the pressure and out-worked the Champion to regains the Championship belt with a unanimous decision. Beckett immediately asked for a rematch but he will have to wait as Curtis will now challenge Commonwealth Champion Christopher Morgan.
The Rumble of the Roses referred to the ISKA Super-heavyweight Northern Area title under Oriental rules that was contested by Ben Whitehead from Black Knights representing the Red Rose and Nick Sheppard from Tigers Gym Leeds was from the White Rose county, Nick after some time out of the ring was making a comeback, Nick had previously made his mark on the K-1 UK circuit reaching the final of the 2004 UK tournament.
Whitehead came out throwing fast and meaning full hand and leg combinations driving Sheppard back. Sheppard came back with some strong shots and both men traded some heavy leather Whitehead catching Sheppard with several punches and dropping him for an eight count. Sheppard was standing but on unsteady legs, Whitehead swarmed on with him another barrage of punches. The referee John Blackledge stepped in and stopped the contest saving Sheppard who was no longer in a position to defend himself.
An impressive first round TKO victory for Ben Whitehead.
Allan Clarkin would like to thank all the gyms that supporting his event and is planning another show at the same venue on Saturday 28th November 2009
22 June 2009
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