Barry beats Orton - now titles beckon
Barry and her team celebrate last night’s victory
JESS Barry can now look to titles after finding a way past the long reach of tall Kerry Orton last night.
It took a couple of rounds to solve the riddle in front of her at Cannock’s Excelsior Club, but by the third Barry was slipping inside the straight punches and working Orton’s body. Referee Pete McCormack had the Coventry 29-year-old a handy 59-56 winner after six busy rounds.
The bout proved an ideal sharpener for Jess, nominated by the Board of Control to fight for the vacant Midlands junior-lightweight title.
It also boosted confidence following the prospect’s first professional loss: a points defeat to seasoned Vaida Masiokaite in June.
“I feel happy, I was happy with my performance,” Jess said afterwards. “I’ve been out for four months. They (my team) have been working hard to get me a fight and I just had to carry on working, waiting for the opportunity.
“I want the Midlands title next and then I’d like to get down to feather.”
She added: “I’d like to be more active. When I turned pro, I wanted five fights a year. It hasn’t happened, but that’s women’s boxing. I’m used to it, it was the same in the amateurs.”
On a St Andrew’s Night bill that was intended to have English fighters pitted against north-of-the-border opposition, “Banshee” Barry was, strangely, representing Scotland.
Excelsior boss Scott Murray and Jess’ manager Jon Pegg justified the switch in nationality by explaining Barry was a die-hard Celtic fan.
Jess Barry is all smiles after beating Orton
And Barry, interviewed in the ring by Steve Bunce, spoke of her regular, long journeys to see the team.
Strange logic. I like Real Madrid, but that doesn’t make me Spanish.
Jess’ trainer Derek Fitzpatrick, a good friend and contributor to this site, was at pains to point out his fighter had purchased tartan shorts.
Whether Scottish or English, Barry (9st 6lbs 3oz) was too polished for Sheffield’s Orton, a 36-year-old who has now lost five on the spin.
She cranked up the pressure against a much taller opponent whose energy appeared to ebb down the stretch.
Early on, it seemed Orton’s straight punches may pose problems, but Barry established her authority by banging home two right hands in the first.
By the second, she was working Orton’s body and landed a particularly dramatic right hand in the third.
Orton (9st 10lbs 2oz), swollen under the left eye, managed to keep exchanges at range in the fourth. It was a temporary reprieve. Barry opened the throttle in the fifth, pinned Orton to the ropes and found the range with left hooks – a punch I felt she should’ve utilised earlier in the contest.
Orton saw out the last, sometimes retreating raggedly. She had shown spirit and played her part in an absorbing encounter.
Now Barry, who has lost one of four, has bigger fish to fry. Orton gave her a workout, the wars await.