Cooper is only going to get better - Melvin

Owen Cooper shows the belts after dominant display

IT looked on paper the toughest test of Owen Cooper’s career.

On canvas, where it matters, Cooper subjected fellow unbeaten prospect Eithan James to a one sided pounding.

On Saturday’s huge Resorts World, Birmingham, show James was hit like he’d never been hit before. He wore a “this shouldn’t be happening” expression before – after suffering a big right hand that sent shockwaves through his long body – his corner signalled retirement at the end of the ninth.

James had lost his “0” and WBO European welter belt in his 13 fight. In victory, 23-year-old Cooper also claimed the vacant English title, also up for grabs.

Before the mouth-watering battle Malcolm Melvin, Cooper’s Birmingham trainer, had predicted stoppage victory. He’d told the press this would be the stand-out performance of Owen’s career.

He was correct on both counts.

And the win could’ve been even more emphatic. James, from Northampton, was dumped heavily by a colossal left hook in the first and a delay while his gumshield was re-inserted possibly prevented the end coming within three minutes.

The champion was brave, but lacked the ammo to stem the storm of leather he’d walked into. It was akin to attempting to halt a rampaging rhino with a pea-shooter.

He switch-hit, pushed Cooper to the ropes in the sixth, moved, attempted to trade, but still copped concussive blows.

In the words of former English champ Adam Harper, who correctly predicted the outcome, 23-year-old James was chewed up and spat out.

I didn’t give James anything and was surprised one judge had him only two rounds behind at the end.

What I watched was a one-sided beat down. The predicted war was close to a walkover.

And in its aftermath, a number of fight figures rang to voice surprise over how ineffective James was, that he still fought like an amateur.

That criticism had never been levelled at James in his previous pro contests. If he was poor, he was poor because Cooper made him look poor. He didn’t give Eithan the time to breathe, let alone set himself.

As a result, Owen dazzled while James’ light dimmed dramatically.

“I thought it was a great performance,” said Melvin, “I thought it was a totally dominant display and I thought Owen was robbed of a first round victory. I’ve watched it back and it took 28 seconds to put that gumshield back in. But I don’t think he ever overcame that left hook and it was a tremendous left hook – you look at Owen’s feet before he threw it.

“I thought Owen boxed superbly and people forget he’s only had 10 fights and is still growing. Owen made James look the way he looked on the night. Eithan James is a decent fighter, but couldn’t handle Owen.

“In the build-up, it seemed to me Eithan James was getting more of the A side and Owen was being looked on as the opponent, so he went in there feeling he had something to prove. I think he made a great statement.

“It was a real mature display and Owen is only going to get better. We’d take a British title fight in a heart-beat.

“People see him as an aggressive, front foot fighter, but he can also box on the back foot. He’s a very good boxer.

“We had a game plan for Eithan James and it came to fruition. Educated pressure, good feet, on him all the time, never giving him a break. How Owen had sparred and looked, we knew there was going to be a big performance.”

Melvin saluted the vanquished champ.

“He’s a warrior and really nice lad,” he said, “he just couldn’t handle Owen. I spoke to Eithan afterwards and he was quite humble. I thought he showed a lot of bottle because he got hit with some tremendous shots.”

For Cooper, the future looks very bright. Promoter Frank Warren pledged big things awaited the winner of the weekend battle.

Owen Cooper appears ready for big things.