| 19 February 2012
Galahad had been in control of the opening round after boxing neatly and firing off quick bursts of body punches. As he backed Booth up into a corner -- like a cat rounding on a wasp -- “2 Smooth” clipped him hard on the side of his head with a sweet counter left that span the 21-year-old favourite around 90 degrees and forced him to touch down with both hands. The Naseem Hamed comparisons had never looked spookier.
As a hush descended over the Magna Centre, Galahad calmly went back to work in round 2; his boxing beautiful at times. He’d thread home neat jabs followed by straight one-twos and then generate streams of body punches that arrived like a cavalry charge. Booth gave chase with his herky-jerky, crab-like stance, riding Galahad’s attacks before swinging for the fences with fizzing counter hooks.
The Nottingham man’s face was a mask of determination and defiance as Galahad, his eyes saucer-like with concentration, followed him around, pecking, poking and flurrying at will. A straight right dipped the visitor’s knees in the 4th and as Galahad (121 lb.) crawled all over him on the ropes, one wondered whether Booth (120 ¾ lbs.) would be swept aside and off into retirement. Game, though, as he ever was, he kidded his way out of trouble and then rallied to score with jolting hooks in rounds 5 and 6 which were, nevertheless, eclipsed by his opponent’s more rhythmic boxing.
Galahad, roared on by his adoring support, dominated rounds 7 and 8, after which Booth’s expression changed. The relentless bombardment he was being subjected to had painted a sickened grimace across his mug. Things worsened in the 9th as Galahad buzzed him upstairs and then tortured him down, flipping his attacks deftly and with genuine intelligence.
Booth remained a constant danger with his counter hooks (which he slung regularly and with passion). Unfortunately for him, they were his only truly effective weapons, whereas Galahad had an abundance of them. A rip-snorting left uppercut bundled Booth back into the strands in the penultimate frame where Galahad followed-up with a two-handed volley of hooks which almost took Booth out of the fight. Teetering close to the edge, Booth refused to let go and he grabbed onto Galahad desperately before fiddling through to the bell.
Galahad swarmed all over Booth in the last. The veteran tumbled to the canvas at one point and was admonished by ringsider Brendan Ingle while rising for treading on Galahad’s feet (the duo had been playing footsy all night). Booth finished the bout with a reddened and bruised left eye and was given the short end of the judges’ scores which read 120-109, 118-111 and 118-110.
Afterwards Booth spoke fondly of Galahad, declaring that he was a very good fighter, one to keep track of and that actually, he fought like a younger version of himself. Galahad, sitting beside him on the ring apron, could not keep himself from grinning. He’d negotiated the championship distance with ease, in highly impressive fashion and against a respected pro like Booth into the bargain. One could hardly blame him.
Belfast’s Carl Frampton and Bury’s Scott Quigg have been cited as Britain’s top prospects for world honours at junior featherweight but, after this performance, can they still be viewed as the only ones? In the words of Yoda: "No. There is another".
Chris Eubank Jr. almost made the idea of fighting with an arm tied behind one’s back a reality after outpointing the game but overmatched Jason Ball 58-56 (through six) at middleweight. Eubank (162 ¼ lbs.) flashed a sturdy left jab and a beastly looking left hook to the body in the early going. It wasn’t until a couple of rounds had passed that it became evident his right was out of commission, hurt, he claimed, in training.
Despite his obvious skill and power, Eubank tired in round 5 and Ball (163 lbs.) came on some to close the gap, bravely it must be said after some of the shots he’d absorbed. It wasn’t impressive and he stole home in the end but in a strange way, those uncomfortable moments will have benefited him far more than a quick blow-out might. Senior, watching assiduously from ringside, looked pleased in any case.
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