Abubaker given his toughest test to date
Amir Abubaker…taken the distance at the Eastside Rooms, Birmingham
COVENTRY barber Amir Abubaker, a man who has made a habit of cutting opponents down in double quick time, has come through his toughest test to date.
On manager Anthony Manning’s Eastside Rooms, Birmingham, Saturday show, the Kurdish KO king was taken the full six rounds by teak tough Alijaz Venko. He prevailed, on referee Kevin McIntyre’s card, by only one round, 58-57.
Such is Abubaker’s fearsome reputation, manager Manning has had to seek out stiff opposition for the four fight novice middle who insists his title future lies at super-welter.
Venko, a Slovenian slab of granite, certainly came with decent credentials – and a reputation for durability.
He has now lost six of 12 contests (one draw) and never been stopped. Coventry amateur star Aaron Bower – tipped for very big things – had to settle for a points decision over Venko.
Abubaker, a 24-year-old with very lofty ambitions, has emerged from the bruising affair with ego intact.
“He was exactly what I thought he’d be,” Amir said. “He took my hardest shots, but I was 30-20 per cent in there. One hundred per cent and I would’ve stopped him. I had an injury in camp and my last spar was February 1. I only had three spars for the fight, before that I was in Dubai.”
He is philosophical about not getting the customary stoppage.
“It’s all a learning experience,” he told me. “I have more ingredients than a lot of people have got. I just need to add a few things to my arsenal and I’ll be unstoppable.
“Now I want to relax – it’s been non-stop for 18 months. I don’t know many fighters who can do that. My hand is really swollen.
“I think it’s a good thing I didn’t stop him because now people may want to fight me. Doing the distance was easy, I was ready to go another round.”
Big things beckon, pledges the boxing businessman.
“It’s an expensive journey in terms of time and investment,” he admitted, “but you want to eventually see a return on the investment.
“I’d fight for the Midlands title tomorrow, but I’m looking for bigger things than that. If I’m European or world champ, everyone will know me.
“I want to get out of the sport healthy and I want the investment to pay off.”