Berry pounds way to a landslide victory

Berry on the attack. Images: Lawrence Lustig/Boxxer

AT the end of his landslide victory over Darwing Martinez last night, featherweight tornado Nyall Berry confided: “My hands are mashed – he’s a very hard man.”

The soreness is understandable. For six rounds, the Chelmsley Wood prospect hit the slab of granite before him with power-laden shots.

The tough Nicaraguan absorbed them and tried to respond with swinging punches of his own. On Boxxer’s major televised show at The Halls, Wolverhampton, Martinez endured a very painful evening, but dug deep into his reserves to make the match competitive.

Berry’s hands may hurt. I imagine Martinez’ ribs still feel as if hot plates are pressing against them.

He was dropped by a straight right down the pipe in the opening seconds, turned away and fell in agony to his knees after shipping a left hook to the body in the sixth and received a warning for grabbing his rampaging opponent in the same session.

Berry walks to a neutral corner after dropping Martinez in first

By the end Martinez was ragged, fatigued and fleeing from hammer blows, yet survived, losing 60-52 on referee Ron Kearney’s card.

“I’m very pleased with my performance,” Berry, now unbeaten in nine, said. “I would’ve liked the stoppage, but I thought I boxed well.”

Closing the glittering, televised show, the 24-year-old seemed destined for a quick win after a straight right dumped Martinez on the canvas in the first. He scrambled up at five and attempting to blast back with swinging blows.

Berry momentarily froze his opponent with a left hook in the second, worked the body with both hands as if attempting to chop down an oak and uncorked jarring lead uppercuts.

Martinez took them all – and came back with his own hooks to the body. He was subjected to rib-bending hooks in the third.

His gumshield was twice dislodged in the fourth, yet the visitor simply pushed it back into place and continued with the grim task ahead.

By the fifth, Martinez (8st 13lb 5oz) was in full retreat, circling the ring as Berry (8st 11lbs 5oz) looked to unload.

Nyall caught up with his man in the final round. Martinez’ features creased in agony after a left hook sunk into his side. He wheeled away, dropped to one knee, but rose quickly for a standing count.

Berry had hit him with everything: I expected to see a kitchen sink propped in the Birmingham boxer’s corner.

Martinez took it all…just. After yet another explosive display, the future looks very bright for Berry and further TV exposure must beckon.