Charles Martel
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From BoxRec: http://news.boxrec.com/news/2013/hall-makes-history-darlingtons-first-world-champion
Stuart Hall wins IBF bantamweight title
I will open this piece with the date – Saturday 21/12/2013. That night will go down in history for boxing in the north east of England as Stuart Hall became the first man from Darlington to win a world title, picking up the IBF world bantamweight title against the incredibly game South African, Vusi Malinga at Leeds’ First Direct Arena.
As well as being Darlo’s first world titlist, Hall was only the second world champion from the north east, with the region’s only previous world champion, Glenn McCrory, standing in Hall’s corner for support. Hall had a lot more backing from his loyal fans as the crowd went wild for his entrance, many of them shouting his name an hour before he actually entered the ring.
Malinga was carried to the ring on the shoulders of one of his training team and before the first bell sounded, it was clear that Hall was going to have his work cut out for him. The African looked in great shape and after two previous world title attempts he was not fazed by the raucous atmosphere.
The first round was fairly tight with both men looking to box their way in and feel the other man out. Towards the end of the round, Hall seemed the throw and land more shots and did enough to shade the opener.
Hall came out like a steam train in the second and really put it on Malinga, landing with both hands early. The Darlington man seemed to get over excited and once he realised that Malinga was not in too much trouble, he decided to ease off and box his way through the rest of the round, using good movement and not allowing Malinga to settle.
If Hall started the second round well, he did even better at the start of the third. It can’t have been 15 seconds into the round when he landed with a straight right hand that landed right on the button and Malinga went down. The South African was caught standing square but it was still a good knockdown and Hall once again decided he was going to look for the finish. Malinga showed resolve as well as skill to get through that storm and he came back well in the second half of the round, although he will still have lost it 10-8 due to hitting the canvas.
At the start of the 4th Malinga was ready for Hall’s early onslaught and didn’t get caught out this time. At this stage Hall was completely focused on attack and he was taking some solid shots in return as he showed no head or foot movement. Although Hall did finish the round well with a good flurry on the bell, it was Malinga’s corner which would have been happy and at this stage it looked like Hall was in danger of punching himself out.
Hall’s corner must have had a word with him, as he came out a lot smarter in the 5th. Guts were going to be needed but at this stage it was all about being smart and Hall boxed superbly to take the round clearly. Despite getting a knockdown in the third, this was certainly Hall’s best round so far and his constant movement didn’t allow Malinga to counter and Hall went back to his corner knowing that victory was within his grasp.
Just as Hall’s fans were feeling more secure, it was Malinga who came out strong in the 6th. He may have missed Hall, wildly at times, but his constant pressure was beginning to take its toll on the local man and Hall was looking tired as the bell sounded, with half of the fight still to go.
It was another close round in the 7th as Malinga continued to press. Although Hall was showing signs of fatigue, his good movement was making Malinga miss a lot of shots and by the end of the round, he was also looking jaded, especially after Hall was able to finish the round on top.
With 5 rounds still to go, both men came out for the 8th with everything still to play for. Hall had to be ahead at this stage but some of the rounds were close and by this stage Hall’s left eye was badly damaged and beginning to close. It was beginning to become brutal as both men were knocking each other to a standstill and although there was little to separate them, it would prove telling that Hall was willing to throw more leather and he often had the last word in their exchanges.
The 9th round was another barnstormer with both men having their moments. It was looking like one of them would have to wilt under the pressure the question was which of them it was going to be. Hall continued to show the better boxing but at this stage that wasn’t quite enough. This was the time for guts and glory and this is something that Hall is noted for, although he has never been under this kind of pressure before. Hall landed a great left hook just before the bell, to send Malinga back to his corner looked dejected for the first time.
The 10th was another round where both men had success. First one man was on top and looking like he could potentially get a stoppage, then the other would turn things around and although some of the rounds were close, Hall will have been confident that he just had to make it through the championship rounds to secure the title. His challenge will not have been made any easier by the fact that his left eye was now firmly closed.
Into the final two rounds and both men were still giving it their all. Whether it was down to conditioning or determination, Hall continued to do that little bit more. By this time Malinga was looking just as tired and it was testament to both fighter’s training and preparation that they were still able to put so much into it.
Hall was up early at the start of the final round as he prepared for the final push towards his own slice of history. Malinga was slow off his stool as both men touched gloves before locking horns one final time in what turned out to be a brutal war of attrition. In a round where Malinga needed to stop his man, Hall didn’t give him the chance as he boxed and moved well to stay out of danger. Things got untidy for the last minute but you would not begrudge either man after putting so much into a rough, tough fight.
Both camps celebrated after the final bell but there was only one winner and the crowd knew it. As Mike Goodall read out scores of 116-11 and 117-110 (twice) everyone connected with Hall went crazy after their man was confirmed as world champion. Some at ringside had the scores slightly closer but there was no doubt who the winner was and Hall will now have his best ever Christmas and will enter 2014 with plenty of options.
Those options include a rematch with the first man to beat him, Doncaster’s Jamie McDonnell. Ironically it was McDonnell who held the same belt earlier this year, only to be stripped of his title after not agreeing to a defence in time. That fight might not be the easiest to make due to promotional differences and politics. McDonnell won the title while fighting under Dennis Hobson but changed camps to join Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable before losing his title outside the ring. Hobson may be reluctant to give McDonnell another shot at the title but time will tell on that one.
Hall also has the prospect of defending against local rival Martin Ward, holder of the Commonwealth title at the same weight. With a lack of marquee names at the weight on the world stage, that is a fight that could prove more realistic than it would first seem and it would be one that would be sure to sell a lot of tickets. There is also the option of Hall’s other former conqueror, Bristol’s Lee Haskins.
Whichever direction Hall decides to take, he can now sit back and relax and enjoy the festive season like never before. After showing monumental determination to fight with limited vision over the last few rounds, nobody is more deserving of those celebrations.
Merry Christmas to Stuart Hall – Darlington’s first ever world champion!
Stuart Hall wins IBF bantamweight title
I will open this piece with the date – Saturday 21/12/2013. That night will go down in history for boxing in the north east of England as Stuart Hall became the first man from Darlington to win a world title, picking up the IBF world bantamweight title against the incredibly game South African, Vusi Malinga at Leeds’ First Direct Arena.
As well as being Darlo’s first world titlist, Hall was only the second world champion from the north east, with the region’s only previous world champion, Glenn McCrory, standing in Hall’s corner for support. Hall had a lot more backing from his loyal fans as the crowd went wild for his entrance, many of them shouting his name an hour before he actually entered the ring.
Malinga was carried to the ring on the shoulders of one of his training team and before the first bell sounded, it was clear that Hall was going to have his work cut out for him. The African looked in great shape and after two previous world title attempts he was not fazed by the raucous atmosphere.
The first round was fairly tight with both men looking to box their way in and feel the other man out. Towards the end of the round, Hall seemed the throw and land more shots and did enough to shade the opener.
Hall came out like a steam train in the second and really put it on Malinga, landing with both hands early. The Darlington man seemed to get over excited and once he realised that Malinga was not in too much trouble, he decided to ease off and box his way through the rest of the round, using good movement and not allowing Malinga to settle.
If Hall started the second round well, he did even better at the start of the third. It can’t have been 15 seconds into the round when he landed with a straight right hand that landed right on the button and Malinga went down. The South African was caught standing square but it was still a good knockdown and Hall once again decided he was going to look for the finish. Malinga showed resolve as well as skill to get through that storm and he came back well in the second half of the round, although he will still have lost it 10-8 due to hitting the canvas.
At the start of the 4th Malinga was ready for Hall’s early onslaught and didn’t get caught out this time. At this stage Hall was completely focused on attack and he was taking some solid shots in return as he showed no head or foot movement. Although Hall did finish the round well with a good flurry on the bell, it was Malinga’s corner which would have been happy and at this stage it looked like Hall was in danger of punching himself out.
Hall’s corner must have had a word with him, as he came out a lot smarter in the 5th. Guts were going to be needed but at this stage it was all about being smart and Hall boxed superbly to take the round clearly. Despite getting a knockdown in the third, this was certainly Hall’s best round so far and his constant movement didn’t allow Malinga to counter and Hall went back to his corner knowing that victory was within his grasp.
Just as Hall’s fans were feeling more secure, it was Malinga who came out strong in the 6th. He may have missed Hall, wildly at times, but his constant pressure was beginning to take its toll on the local man and Hall was looking tired as the bell sounded, with half of the fight still to go.
It was another close round in the 7th as Malinga continued to press. Although Hall was showing signs of fatigue, his good movement was making Malinga miss a lot of shots and by the end of the round, he was also looking jaded, especially after Hall was able to finish the round on top.
With 5 rounds still to go, both men came out for the 8th with everything still to play for. Hall had to be ahead at this stage but some of the rounds were close and by this stage Hall’s left eye was badly damaged and beginning to close. It was beginning to become brutal as both men were knocking each other to a standstill and although there was little to separate them, it would prove telling that Hall was willing to throw more leather and he often had the last word in their exchanges.
The 9th round was another barnstormer with both men having their moments. It was looking like one of them would have to wilt under the pressure the question was which of them it was going to be. Hall continued to show the better boxing but at this stage that wasn’t quite enough. This was the time for guts and glory and this is something that Hall is noted for, although he has never been under this kind of pressure before. Hall landed a great left hook just before the bell, to send Malinga back to his corner looked dejected for the first time.
The 10th was another round where both men had success. First one man was on top and looking like he could potentially get a stoppage, then the other would turn things around and although some of the rounds were close, Hall will have been confident that he just had to make it through the championship rounds to secure the title. His challenge will not have been made any easier by the fact that his left eye was now firmly closed.
Into the final two rounds and both men were still giving it their all. Whether it was down to conditioning or determination, Hall continued to do that little bit more. By this time Malinga was looking just as tired and it was testament to both fighter’s training and preparation that they were still able to put so much into it.
Hall was up early at the start of the final round as he prepared for the final push towards his own slice of history. Malinga was slow off his stool as both men touched gloves before locking horns one final time in what turned out to be a brutal war of attrition. In a round where Malinga needed to stop his man, Hall didn’t give him the chance as he boxed and moved well to stay out of danger. Things got untidy for the last minute but you would not begrudge either man after putting so much into a rough, tough fight.
Both camps celebrated after the final bell but there was only one winner and the crowd knew it. As Mike Goodall read out scores of 116-11 and 117-110 (twice) everyone connected with Hall went crazy after their man was confirmed as world champion. Some at ringside had the scores slightly closer but there was no doubt who the winner was and Hall will now have his best ever Christmas and will enter 2014 with plenty of options.
Those options include a rematch with the first man to beat him, Doncaster’s Jamie McDonnell. Ironically it was McDonnell who held the same belt earlier this year, only to be stripped of his title after not agreeing to a defence in time. That fight might not be the easiest to make due to promotional differences and politics. McDonnell won the title while fighting under Dennis Hobson but changed camps to join Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom stable before losing his title outside the ring. Hobson may be reluctant to give McDonnell another shot at the title but time will tell on that one.
Hall also has the prospect of defending against local rival Martin Ward, holder of the Commonwealth title at the same weight. With a lack of marquee names at the weight on the world stage, that is a fight that could prove more realistic than it would first seem and it would be one that would be sure to sell a lot of tickets. There is also the option of Hall’s other former conqueror, Bristol’s Lee Haskins.
Whichever direction Hall decides to take, he can now sit back and relax and enjoy the festive season like never before. After showing monumental determination to fight with limited vision over the last few rounds, nobody is more deserving of those celebrations.
Merry Christmas to Stuart Hall – Darlington’s first ever world champion!