Ali and Clift register wins and are poised for six round step-up

Zain Ali and Anthony Manning. Zain continues to improve

TWO Anthony Manning signings continued their ring apprenticeship on his Saturday night show at Birmingham’s Eastside Rooms.

Unbeaten Zain Ali and Dylan Clift were matched sensibly and banked rounds as they move towards bigger things.

For Ali, the improvements continue after a fairly flat start to his paid career. The 26-year-old drew his first two and, worryingly, flagged over the apprentice four round distance.

Lessons appear to have been learned.

In his fourth bout, Alum Rock’s Ali (11st 5lbs) boxed sharply and, importantly, kept the pressure percolating to take every round against Liam Griffiths (11st 4lbs). That was fight number 101 for the Bognor veteran.

Griffiths, a 38-year-old who has learned every survival trick in the book during a long career on the road, was never in trouble on the way to 40-36 defeat on referee Chris Dean’s card.

“I think it was a good performance,” Ali said. “He was holding a lot, but it was a good learning fight. I hurt him a few times with my backhand.”

He added: “I’m out again in May and want six rounds next. There are still things to work on, like throwing more combinations and general ring craft.”

It’s too early to assess what Ali, a product of Nechells ABC, can achieve, but his championship future lies at light-middle (11st). Looking at the fighter’s frame, he could even make welter with a day before weigh-in.

Dylan Clift…critical of his own performance on Saturday

FOR Acocks Green hero Dylan Clift opponent Owen Durnan did represent something of a step-up.

Despite a patchy record, the Sheffield boxer is a rugged, steely operator with a fine amateur pedigree.

And he made Clift (10st 3lbs) work for his fourth win on the spin – even taking a round on referee Peter McCormack’s card. The official scored it 39-37.

Clift has fought better but can be forgiven for an off day. The 22-year-old is on the brink of a much more monumental event that four rounds with Owen Durnan. In five days time, his partner gives birth to their first child, Valerie.

As it was, Clift jabbed smartly and used his strength to keep Durnan (10st 5lbs) at bay.

“I lost the fourth round,” Dylan admitted. “I just felt a bit flat and kept moving, I took the round off. He was aggressive and stayed on me.

“I wasn’t happy with my performance, I thought I could’ve done a bit more, picked my shots a bit better.

“I’ve performed better in my last couple of fights, but there has been a lot going on in this camp – family stuff and medicals.

“I was stronger than him, that was the main thing. My jab was always in his face and every time he did come in, I made sure that looping right uppercut came into play.

“Now I’m taking a couple of weeks off, family time.”

Clift will be back on Manning’s show in May and is eager to crank-up his career.

He added: “One hundred per cent I’ll be fighting in May and I do want that step-up to six rounds.

“I felt I stepped-up in this fight – Durnan’s a good lad, but I want to step-up again.

“People say ‘take your time’, but now I’m not just fighting for me – I’m fighting for my family.”