Lee Murtagh's Boxing Diary
East Leeds Magazine, October 2010

As always, it's been an eventful few weeks at Bethlehem Boxing Club. Regular readers will know I suffered a knee injury back in February. It's been a long road to recovery but I made my comeback fight on 17th September at the Magna Centre in Sheffield. I scored a points decision after six rounds but the biggest winner was my knee which showed no ill effect. That fight put me back in the frame for the Irish Super Middlewight Title. I'm ranked number four and the injury put paid to my previous challenge. I've heard I'm pencilled-in for November 6th in Limerick but as always with the politics of boxing, I haven't heard anything as yet.

A week after my fight it was Sam Smith's turn, fighting for the EBF European Ladies Lightweight Belt, at the Oceana Night Club. This was the long-awaited rematch with Amsterdammer Anissa Haddaoui. They fought a bruising encounter on the 'Fighting for Maddy' bout in May and this one wasn't any different. I hate to see Sam brawling, she's a better boxer than that but all credit to Anissa she came out of the blocks and wouldn't let Sam settle. Sam rocked her twice and had she taken a count, which affects the way the judges score, the result would have been different but Anissa shaded it on points.

So it's the end of Sam’s unbeaten record after 12 wins and one draw. But I'll tell you this, like any boxer she'll learn more from that than most of her wins. Funnily enough the defeat has opened doors for Sam. Anissa has offered her first defence of the title in Amsterdam next February. It will be part of the biggest show ever of female fighters. There's over 40 fights on, not just boxing - but kick boxing and K2, it will be a great experience for Sam, her first fight in mainland Europe and it might not have happened if she’d won. We've built up a good relationship with Anissa and her team the Schrieber gym, she's fighting in a kick boxing show in Sheffield next month and I'm tagging along with Sam to cheer her on. Their only rivalry is in the ring which is the way it should be.

It was a pity Sam lost though because the whole show was one of the best ones we've had and it made it a bitter sweet experience. We had thirteen fights in all and some real quality among them. Billy 'DJ Bizz' Wilkinson made a tidy defence of his Northern Area Featherweight and we had a few impressive debuts.

2nd Chances

I'm spending a lot of time in the gym with Jonjo Franks and AC Rowe at the moment. They've both, let's say, made a few bad decisions in the past but boxing has given them a fresh focus in life. They're very dedicated and hope to turn fully professional in the future. That's a part of what Bethlehem Boxing Club is about, giving people second chances, both in life and in boxing. I don't think anybody coming through the amateur ranks has much chance of fighting professionally any more, they've changed the rules to such a degree it's almost a different sport. In professional boxing, points are scored by landing punches. It doesn't matter if it's a jab, an upper cut or a hook, amateur rules now dictate you can only score points using a jab, so they learn to box in a different way, which means they have to learn a lot of new skills if they turn pro. Also, it seems if you're not boxing when you're 8 years old, you've no chance of breaking into amateur boxing, let alone the pro game. My opinion is if you’re fit, healthy and willing, why should age be an obstacle.

I'm staging another show at Crossgates WMC, (see ad) I should have six East Leeds fighters on the bill, it’d be great to see some locals there.

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