A CHANGE at the 11th hour meant that instead of going in against Exeter’s Faheem Khan, Nottingham’s Ekow Essuman warmed up for a second defence of his English welterweight title against Curtis Felix Jnr at York Hall next month by sharing a ring with game Hull-based Lithuanian Zygimantas Butkevicius. It was no real surprise then that the polished Botswana-born man should emerge a 60-54 winner for the evening’s referee Kevin Parker.
Nottingham’s Delmar Thomas was in no mood for hanging around, needing less than two rounds of a scheduled four to put paid to the hopes of Thamesmead’s gritty Daniel Alder. Some 54 seconds of the second remained when, with their man having been down twice in quick succession and under heavy fire once more, the Londoner’s corner flung in the towel as referee Parker intervened.