Farrell delivers first pro win in real style

Niall Farrell…dominated every second against Volosinas

THE amateur career of Team GB star Niall Farrell may have come to an end. The glory and titles have not, the Birmingham star has pledged.

Last night (Thursday), at the opening of Cannock’s new Excelsior Sporting Club, Farrell passed his first professional test with flying colours by pasting Simas Volosinas, a Lithuanian who appears to be hewn from granite.

The only thing missing for the 25-year-old’s army of fans was a stoppage. But Volosinas, a veteran of 119 bouts, is near impossible to dismantle and derail over four rounds.

As it was, Farrell, who will campaign at lightweight in the paid ranks, hit him with every shot in his expansive arsenal. Remember Rocky hitting hanging beef in the famous film scene?

Volosinas was the beef.

I near expected Farrell, a product of Kingstanding’s 2nd City gym, to leave his corner at the end of the third to collect the kitchen sink from home. He hit the 32-year-old East European with everything else.

By the end, referee Pete McCormack’s shut-out score of 40-36 was a formality.

Farrell, looking razor-sharp at 9st 12lbs, glided through the gears against a man who could offer only bravery and durability. He was certainly a long way short of Farrell in speed, skill and variety.

Precise, piston-fast jabs drove Volosinas back in the first, Niall grunting as they landed with sledgehammer force.

Within the first three minutes, the journeyman’s brows were swollen and his face reddened.

Farrell was warming to his task and, by the second, Volosinas (9st 10lbs) was shipping body shots and two rapid fire rights caught him flush in the face.

The third saw Farrell opening up with both hands and my notes for the session state simply: “In total control.” Volosinas copped a left hook and the same shot slammed against his body in the last.

Much tougher tests await Niall, who has stated he wants to be a seasoned pro. He did everything asked of him against a man who would probably take King Kong the distance.

“It’s the start of something exciting,” Farrell, dressed in a dinner suit, told me at the evening’s end. “With six rounds I could’ve finished him, but he was a rock.

“I wasn’t nervous, I was excited and really enjoyed it. I’d fight tomorrow if I could, but will definitely be out in June. Six rounds is what we want and, hopefully, we’ll have had four fights by the end of the year.”

It’s too early to say if Farrell will reach the world class heights of his amateur days, but it’s going to extremely entertaining watching him try.

His move to the professional ranks has given Birmingham boxing a massive boost.