Wolves hero Bethell suffers shock defeat

Jahfieus Faure savours victory: Picture Jack Perry

THE Old Gold faithful draped Wolves banners around the hall before local hero Brandon Bethell’s fight.

They sang “Sweet Caroline” so loudly, the girders in former warehouse The Hangar rattled. They banged drums.

And the man himself was heralded into the ring by a Liam Gallagher lookalike belting out Oasis classic “(What’s The Story) Morning glory”.

Last night’s ring entrance befitting a major title fight.

But when the dust had settled on a cracking six rounder, the glory belonged to opponent Jahfieus Faure.

In his home city, on a show staged by his own promoters, Bethell – a lightweight with a huge following – suffered his first defeat, losing by a single round on referee Kevin Parker’s card.

It was the major surprise on a BCB nine bout bill that saw its unbeaten fighters matched hard and competitively. The promotional outfit’s boss, Errol Johnson, should be praised for that.

He risked Bethell, a big ticket-seller, against a dangerous, underrated opponent and the Wolverhampton 23-year-old fell short.

Brandon has, however, learned more from that setback than he would from one-sided victories over a clutch of journeyman.

Bethell, who had looked so impressive in his four previous contests, wasn’t hurt or banged up. He can come again.

His faithful shook their heads in disbelief when the decision was announced, but it was correct. Bethell (9st 8lbs) was caught by too many right hands and I had Birmingham’s Faure a wider winner.

When Bethell used the ring and kept exchanges long, he had the upper hand. When he traded, he was vulnerable and he traded too often.

“He was very, very good,” crestfallen Bethell sportingly admitted. “He was the better person on the night. I’ll keep working and come back. I’ll watch it back, re-adjust and re-learn. I train very hard and that makes it more disappointing.”

Faure and Bethell show sportsmanship after their battle

Faure, aged 38, may have won for only the third time in 24 bouts (two draws), but he’s faced very good men away from home and suffered more than his share of highly debatable losses. He is a handful.

This time he would not be denied.

“I’ve had a lot of losses, but half of them should’ve been wins,” Faure (9dt 6lbs) said. “Nothing was going to stop me tonight.

“I know what the game is about, some people sell a lot of tickets. I’ve taken the losses on the chin, but when you clearly win you expect to get the decision.

“I’m a dangerous fighter, I’ve hurt a lot of people with my right hand, but I’m better at boxing than people think. I boxed him tonight.”

Bethell made it a close, absorbing fight. He jabbed well in the first only for Faure to give a taste of things to come in the second by delivering a solid right.

They traded punches in the third and, again, Faure’s right hand found the target. Bethell appeared to have learned the perils of attempting to fight fire with fire and took the fourth by boxing smartly on the move.

Yet he was again sucked into a scrap down the stretch. Bethell attempted to punch it out with Faure and it was the away fighter’s rights that carried more authority.

Defeat is a bitter pill for Brandon to swallow, but it is not an insurmountable setback. It’s not a disaster.

Champs shrug off a loss and come back stronger. In the words of Oasis, the band that provides the soundtrack for Bethell contests: “You’ve Got To Roll With It.”