Prospect Boxing - McCallum Wins Scottish Title

By Bobby Hunter


Fighting in front of a near capacity crowd at the Ravenscraig Regional facility Motherwell. Castlemilk's Gary McCallum captured the Scottish Middleweight Title by out boxing Stranraer's Paul Allison over 10x3 minute rounds. McCallum (11st 5lbs 2oz) used his spearing jab to maximum effect to keep the determined Allison (11st 4lb 8oz) at bay in the first, Allison just couldn't get near him as he ate the odd straight right also. The man from South West Scotland kept coming at McCallum in the next few rounds but found his success limited to body shots when he trapped McCallum on the ropes. McCallum was boxing and moving well, his jab was keeping Allison off balance and that straight right was causing a bit of damage round the eyes of his opponent.

The middle rounds followed the same suit. Allison chasing, McCallum evading but spearing the jab doing more than enough to keep Allison off him. Allison best round was the seventh where he managed to trap McCallum on the ropes for a big part of the round. Maybe once or twice it looked as if the body shots from Allison were bothering McCallum but the Glasgow man fought back hard rocking Allison head back with three solid jabs.

Round eight was a close one as Allison began to get desperate. He was charging in recklessly trying just to land anything that would change the fight in his favour. McCallum stayed focused though. He knew he was way ahead so really only had to stay out of danger in the last few rounds. McCallum then got his second wind. In the ninth he was very accurate with the jab and straight right. It landed three, four times as Allison chased him around the ring.

The tenth started out with Allison going for the Hail Mary punch. A big left hook forced McCallum back as Allison attacked on the ropes. McCallum kept his head even sneaking in a few right uppercuts when in clinch. In the closing stages McCallum got the distance he needed  by landing the punches he had been scoring with all night, the jab followed by that straight right. At the final bell McCallum ran to the corner and jumped on the ropes to celebrate. Allison trudged back to his corner knowing he had been beaten by the better man. Star Referee Victor Loughlin agreed scoring in favour McCallum 98-93.

McCallum is now 9-0 none early, Allison falls to 5-2-1.


Chief Support on this Prospect Boxing show was local favourite Iain Butcher (8st 3lbs 6oz) who was cheered on by a large support. Butcher took on Bulgarian import Galin Paunov (8st 3lb 8oz) over 6x3s in a flyweight bout which lasted less in 2 minutes. The Motherwell man looks a real prospect as he floored Paunov 3 times in the first round all with body shots. Referee Kenny Pringle rightly stopped the fight at 1.57 after the third knock down. Paunov was in no condition to continue. It was a brief look at Butcher but already he looks as if he could quite far in the game. His body shots were lethal and now must be aiming to get a British title shot before the end if the year. Butcher is now 7-0 2 Ko's.


Mitch Prince (10st 1lb) made short work of another Bulgarian import by smashing Radoslav Mitev (10st 4lb) to defeat in seventy-nine seconds. Prince started fast going after Mitev's body but did ship two crude right hands in return. The Cumbernald man then landed a three punch combination which planted the Bulgarian on the canvas. Mitev held the top of his head as he couldn't regain his balance. It was fast jab , right hook, followed by a hook to the body that done the damage. Referee Ged O'Neil counted out Mitev who made no attempt to rise. Prince moves to 11-1-1, Mitev loses for the ninth time in thirteen fights.


New Cumnock's Billy Campbell upset local favourite Ryan Scott over 4x3s at Light middle. Campbell (11st 3lbs 4oz) boxed well with a tight guard picking his shots whilst Scott was wide open as he often switched stance as he was being caught by Campbell's right hand. In the second round roared on by decent following Scott battered Campbell on the ropes forcing the Ayrshire man to cover up. It was to be Scott's best round as in the third and fourth Campbell simply picked off Scott with his jab and began bullying him to the ropes where he would land cluster combinations to head and body. Victor Loughlin scored the fight for Campbell 39-38. My score from ringside was a little wider at 39-36 Campbell.

Scott loses his unbeaten record and is now 2-1 1Ko. Campbell improves to 3-1.


Wishaw fighter Mark Parvin (10st 4lb) lost his unbeaten record as he faded badly against Halifax battler Richard Bitner over 4x3 minute rounds at welterweight. Bitner (10st 8lb) who lost his unbeaten record in his last visit to Scotland was the far better boxer in this one as he took over the fight late in the first round after a fast start by the home fighter. Parvin looked tired and was bloodied by the fitter and harder punching Bitner who walked through a non existant jab and then began to batter Parvin on the ropes. Each round was the same, Parvin would come out throw a few punches then go back into his shell as Bitner bullied him about the ring. Bitner capped off a fine performance by flooring Parvin late in the last round with a right to the body. Parvin got up but lost on Referee Kenny Pringles card 39-36. I had this fight a white wash scoring for Bitner 40-35.


Southpaw Darren McAdam improved to 3-0 1Ko by easily out pointing the experienced Arek Malek over 6x2 minute rounds at welterweight. McAdam (10st 4lb 8oz) fought a controlled fight by keeping the Pole at bay with his right jab and fast combinations to the body. The Govan man can be happy with his performance as he peppered Malek (10st 3lb) without really taking anything in reply. What impressed most was McAdams footwork a he controlled the distance between himself and his opponent giving Malek plenty of angles before landing the right jab and left hook. It was all one way traffic which reflected on Referee Ged O'Neil's scorecard who had McAdam running out a 60-54 winner.


Sean Watson from Fauldhouse boxed his way to a 4 round decision over tough and experienced former Scottish champ James Ancliff over 4x3 minute round at Super Featherweight. The fight was nearly over in the first round as twice Watson (9st 6lb 8oz) rocked Ancliff (9st 4lb 6 oz) with over hand rights. Ancliff survived but over the four rounds couldn't do much with his younger opponent. Watson controlled this fight by moving well and counter punching Ancliff with a solid right hand. Watson was also impressive when put under pressure on the ropes by landing the cleaner punches. In the third Ancliff who was clearly frustrated lost a point for persistent holding and hitting. Watson closed the show in the fourth with a huge right hand that  snapped Ancliff's head back but like before could not find the finishing punch. Referee Victor Loughlin scored this one 40-36 Watson.


Late replacement Michael Kelly from Ireland lost a four round decision to decent prospect Rhys Pagen over 4x3s at welterweight. Pagen easily won this one using his jab to keep the smaller squat Kelly from getting near him. The Man from Sanquhar mixed his combinations very well but it was his body attack that was most impressive as Pagen banged the body at every opportunity. Kelly reddened by the body attack earned his money in this one as it was all one way traffic with the Irishman really taking a beating. Kelly made it to the final bell but lost every round on Referee Ged Neil's card which read 40-36.

Unbeaten Jordan McCorry and Newcastle fighter Dougie Curran fought to an entertaining draw over 6x2s at Lightweight. Curran (9st 9lb 4oz) was added late to the bill and certainly gave Cambuslang fighter McCorry all he could handle after a slow start. McCorry (9st 8lb 8oz) started better landing some nasty looking body shots but as the fight wore on "the bullet" as hes called came more and more into the fight by out working his opponent from the outside but also on the inside as vicious uppercuts seemed to take some of the enthusiasm away from McCorry. Both guys were well matched and it was no surprise that Referee Kenny Pringle scored this fight a draw 57-57. McCorry is now 5-0-1 1Ko, Curran 8-16-3 2Ko's.


Opening the show was Stirling warrior George Thomson who upped his record to 2-0 with a hard fought point win over journeyman Martyn King. Thomson (10st 9lb) fought for every min of every round in this 6x2 minute fight never giving King (11st 1lb) a chance to settle. Sometimes it was a scrappy affair but the better punches were being landed by Thomson although he did smother his work at times. Referee Ged O'Neil scored the fight to Thomson 58-56