Manchester – Ekow Essuman retained his British and Commonwealth welterweight championships in opposition to Chris Kongo by majority resolution in a detailed combat. Each males fought at a detailed, technical tempo for a lot of the combat.
Chris Kongo managed the primary third of the combat, dictating the combat’s tempo and touchdown significantly greater than Essuman. Essuman got here ahead and did make the combat uncomfortable for Kongo at occasions from the fifth spherical onwards, taking the combat to Kongo and making it an inside combat.
The center rounds of the combat had been razor shut, and each males had durations of success. Essuman landed a barrage of photographs within the closing minute of the ninth spherical, that badly harm Kongo and left him reeling and doing all the things in his energy to climate the storm.
Essuman used the momentum from his ninth spherical success to maintain the strain on for the ultimate three rounds and maintain touchdown. Essuman landed an enormous proper hand within the closing spherical to badly harm Kongo for a second time, however as soon as once more Kongo weathered the storm and lasted till the ultimate bell.
The champion credited his expertise in distance fights as a key think about his means to rally down the stretch in a detailed contest.
“As I stated from the beginning, it was simply the expertise of getting these longer fights, these different 12-rounders, these actually arduous fights the place I needed to dig in deep,” Essuman mirrored.
“The proof is within the pudding. Boxing’s about what you are able to do while you’re drained, not about what you are able to do while you’re match, and my title’s ‘Engine.'”