Griffiths bosses his first six round test
James Griffiths after Hangar victory over Octavian Gratti
JAMES Griffiths assured me after the fray that the antics of Octavian Gratti didn’t faze him.
Frankly, I’m surprised. The moaning from the man from Moldova got under my skin.
On BCB’s Hangar, Wolverhampton, bill last night, Gratti complained of blows to the back of the head, snapped at referee Ryan Churchill when ticked off for holding and even shrieked an expletive after being caught low. He also hurled Griffiths to the floor in the final session.
Baggie Boy Griffiths, from Wombourne, took the antics in his stride and continued to plug away to head and body. He swept every round, taking a 60-54 decision from Mr Churchill.
Now unbeaten in eight, the 29-year-old set a fast pace for his first six rounder and kept to it. That’s a real positive. On a negative note, Griffiths work was sometimes rushed when stepping back and assessing the situation would’ve paid more dividends.
All in all, it was a dominant, confidence boosting performance.
He said: I was a bit sloppy – the last couple of rounds I began to touch the body a bit more. I was trying too hard. There was plenty to be pleased with, plenty to work on.
“He (Gratti) didn’t bother me. When the referee says I’ve done something wrong I’ll listen. I won’t listen when he tells me I’ve done something wrong.”
Gratti, a veteran of close to 90 bouts, pinned his hopes on swinging right hands and two brushed Griffiths’ whiskers in the third.
But for the most part, Griffiths (11st 8lbs) bossed the exchanges with solid rights and left hooks to the ribs.
He let his hands go from the beginning and really dug the punches downstair in the fourth, with Gratti pinned in a neutral corner.
By the sixth Gratti (11st 5lbs) was beating a hasty retreat, baring his gumshield in a grim as James unleashed body shots and uppercuts.
He managed to see the fight through, if well beaten. Gratti may have found things to moan about in the fight, he couldn’t moan about the points tally.