Kelly takes title in a small hall epic clash
Team Kelly celebrate their Commonwealth silver victory. Pix: Jack Perry
IN a heaving small hall, to a deafening soundtrack of ceaseless roars, Ryan Kelly and River Wilson-Bent dug to the depths of their endurance in a truly memorable battle for the Commonwealth silver middleweight title.
Both men were rocked to their bootlaces, both gashed before Kelly had his hand raised at the end of 10 punishing, pulsating rounds.
Outside Birmingham city centre’s Holiday Inn, Friday night revellers strutted the neon-lit, fire-fly streets in daring Halloween costumes. Inside, Chelmsley Wood’s favourite fighter and Coventry ticket-seller Wilson-Bent produced a thriller.
Kelly, aged 29, was cut in the corner of the left eye in the second and staggered by a big right in the seventh.
Wilson-Bent suffered a gashed right eye in the seventh and was dropped by a right in the eighth.
On the BCB bill, the pair fought with an intensity worthy of a world title fight. When the dust had settled, judge Chris Dean scored 96-93, Terry O’Connor 98-92, Kevin Parker 97-93.
The two fighters await the decision after 10 hard rounds
For Birmingham fans it was another week, another contender for Midlands fight of the year.
As Kelly picked his way through a sea of back-slapping supporters at the epic’s conclusion, beaming trainer John Costello remarked: “Chelmsley Wood people, my kind of people – salt of the earth.”
He added: “Ryan can beat the best in Britain, I truly believe that. He’s a very talented fighter. So is River – he’s in a better place, fought well and can feature in good fights.”
Away from the ringside bedlam, in the relative calm of the dressing room, Kelly acknowledged he was hurt in the seventh. “I said to River, you pulled that shot from nowhere,” he told me. “But I’ve always been a durable fighter. It woke me up!
“We knew the fight was always going to have its ups and downs – River’s only lost to the best kids.
“This should’ve been on TV. I’ve always had a lot of time for River. There was always going to be a bit of needle in the build-up, just enough to stir the pot, but there’s a lot of respect between us. He’s a good lad and a friend of mine.
“Now we’re going to sit down as a team and take the right fights.”
Crestfallen Wilson-Bent said: “I thought it was a close fight. My ear went in the fifth and I made a silly mistake in the eighth. It is what it is – we’re a new team trying new things.”
River (11st 6lbs) began the contest positively, using his height and reach to keep Kelly (11st 5lbs 4oz) at the end of a broom stave jab.
He had started the brighter and picked up points as Ryan threatened, but fought economically. He found the big right he was looking for in the third – and his lean opponent immediately replied with a long right of his own.
Kelly’s corner work on the damaged eye
By the third, a thin stream of blood seeped down the side of Kelly’s face as River found the target with his left lead.
There were fears the Birmingham fighter may let the contest slip away and, after being clattered by a right in the fourth, I scribbled in my notes: “Kelly needs to let his hands go.”
He did in the following session.
Wilson-Bent, also 29, was nailed by a booming left hook and a right sent his gumshield spinning from his mouth. Kelly had found the room for his rights.
Kelly proudly display the new belt
Yet just when it seemed Ryan had solved the puzzle before him a right hand crashed against his chin in the seventh. He froze momentarily and Wilson-Bent, blood pumping from an ugly gash, hurled himself forward, raining punches against a man pinned against the ropes.
Ryan survived the crisis and produced his most dominant work in the following session. A right of his own dumped River on the canvas. He was up at three and walked unsteadily to a neutral corner for referee Reece Carter’s standing count.
Kelly’s follow-up was hampered by a delay while Wilson-Bent’s dislodged mouthpiece was rinsed and re-inserted.
He was now in the driving seat, yet, I felt, played with fire by letting his opponent rally in the last. The jabs were light from the Coventry boxer, but they found the target.
On my card, it was closer than the official cards, but the right man won.
The silver Commonwealth title may be a new addition to the clutter of belts in modern boxing and some will question its worth.
No one can question the worth and quality of Friday’s scrap. And there’s no doubt the belt has opened the door to, potentially, some very significant fights for Kelly.