Magnificent Michelle powers to world title glory
At a packed Dunstall Park, tenacious Michelle Newell destroyed Lucy Mairot from France to become World Super Atomweight (50kg)Thai Boxing Champion at the age of 37.
Mairot launched some dangerous high kicks from the opening bell, but Newell’s strength soon became evident up close as she pounded her French opponent with hurtful knee strikes to the body and head.
Newell then showed real quality in the second round when a concerted and deadly accurate attack of punches, kicks and knees combined to send Mairot crashing to the canvas in the corner. The French Girl from Toulouse recovered just in time for Newell to land a beauty of a left hook to put her back on the floor just before the bell.
Less than a minute into the third round, Mairot and her corner had clearly tasted far too much of Newell’s undoubted power, sensationally quitting as more sickening knee strikes thundered into the French girl’s throbbing head.
“I’ve waited a long, long time for this chance and I was determined to take it,” said an elated Newell, who works and trains at Wolverhampton’s renowned Firewalker gym.
“I thought Mairot would throw more in the way of punches so she surprised me with her kicks, but our plan was always to slow her down early with knee strikes and then deliver some good straight punches”.
She continued: “This wasn’t my tidiest performance but it doesn’t matter right now. Winning the world title in front of my home crowd is just great”.
Newell’s trainer Joby Clayton added: “Michelle’s excellent preparation really paid off. She has worked extremely hard and tonight has showed genuine quality and power”.
Whilst Newell looks forward to defending her title, possibly overseas, there was plenty of action on a very well-matched undercard to get fight fans talking. During a testing night for Wolverhampton’s Firewalker camp, Shaun Walker lost a majority decision in a pulsating contest against Birmingham’s Leko Wright, whilst Kerrith Bhella, hampered by no fewer than three vicious low blows, lost on points to Woking’s Phil Pullen. There was better news however for local prospect Adam Morgan who scored a second round knockout over Birmingham’s Faisal Ruff. Most impressive of all though was Wolverhampton’s adopted Bulgarian Ivan Damyanov who shocked the pundits with a superbly controlled majority points victory over the British No.2 from Manchester, Steven Jones.
16 March 2009
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