Cut sees Manny Zaber retire from title fight

Zaber was retired at the end of the fifth after a massive gash opened up above his left eye ending what was supposed to be an eight-rounder, writes Craig Birch.

The battle headlined proceedings at Walsall Town Hall on Saturday night, the top liner on Errol Johnson's Black Country Boxing show titled 'Going For Gold.'

Referee Kevin Parker ruled the blow had been caused by a right hand, with a point decision needed if he had ruled otherwise. The man in the middle had Baillie up by a round anyway.

An entertaining clash ended prematurely after starting at a frantic pace with Baillie, born in Barrow-in-Furness but now living in Tamworth, getting in his face.

Zaber, from Old Hill, looked to work the body in the first while Baillie attempted to take his head off, but the latter varied his attacks as he got on top in the second.

Baillie moved well and punched sharply as he switched to body and head, while blocking most of Zaber's blows in retaliation.

Zaber resumed his onslaught downstairs and landed a couple of left hooks to the body in round four, but was falling shy of the midriff in the fifth.

He was on a public warning from Mr Parker for low blows when Baillie sliced him open in the same session, which forced an early finish after the bell went.

The under-card featured what could be the last time you'll see former Midlands, English and British lightweight champion Martin Gethin in the ring.

The 32-year-old admitted he was contemplating his future after he was counted out of an eliminator for the Commonwealth title at super lightweight in August.

Defeat to Adam Little through a loaded right hand just three rounds him left him, at least, wanting one more fight in his hometown of Walsall before calling it a day.

'The Quiet Man' remained tight-lipped on what's next for him even after scoring a 40-36 four round points landslide over Liam Richards, in his 36th pro contest over a 12-year career.

Richards was forced into evasive maneuvers towards the finish, as Gethin went for the TKO by throwing big right hands before the final bell sounded.

Gethin's hand was raised for a 27th time, with 11 previous wins inside-the-distance. He's lost eight times, five by stoppage, with one draw.

Hot prospect Zach Parker, now under the management of Neil Marsh, settled for another points whitewash, this time 60-54, from the never-stopped Adam Jones.

The light heavyweight from Derbyshire, 22, dealt with the six rounds easily enough and the tough Jones kept up his proud record of seeing the finish in all 29 of his outings.

West Bromwich's Thomas Loach was the star of the other three four-rounders, scoring a third round stoppage at welterweight over debutant Jerral Spencer.

Loach, at the same venue where he outpointed Ali Wyatt on his paid bow two months ago, went to war with Spencer from the off.

He immediately started to pepper Spencer with left hooks to the body, while getting his jab working off the right hand.

The two were constantly getting in close which gave Loach the initiative to turn the right jab into uppercuts, which were shattering Spencer's resolve.

Loach upped his volume of punches to come swinging with both hands in the third at Spencer, who touched down with the last of the blows a right hook.

He answered the count but went straight back into his corner and stuck his head on the turnbuckle, as referee Shaun Messer continued his count.

Messer waved him off after Spencer shook his head after being asking to continue, having been given every chance to carry on.

Wolverhampton's Joshua Burke was beaten by his gumshield as he was docked two points by Mr Parker for losing his equipment.

A whopping six times the gumshield left his mouth during a cruiserweight bout against Russ Henshaw, costing him a draw.

Once in the first and three times in the second it became detached, with Mr Parker docking him his first point then and there.

Burke was not at fault after absorbing a big overhand right in the third which knocked his gumshield out again, but Parker judged it was when it fell to the mat again shortly afterwards.

A second point taken away left him with a mountain to climb and he went for the knockout in the fourth and final round, only for Henshaw to smile when he tagged him with a left hook.

Burke lost 39-37 on the cards, which would have been parity had it not been for the deductions. Mr Parker had two drawn rounds, with a session apiece for each.

Chasetown's Luke Jones went toe-to-toe with Northern Irishman Alec Bazza at lightweight, but the contest was over at the end of the first round.

Jones and Bazza butted heads accidentally during the opening stage, leaving both with a cut above the left eye.

Mr Parker took a close look at two wounds at the end of the session and called for the bell, citing Bazza's injury was too severe to continue.

A victor couldn't be decided on points, as proceedings would need to have advanced past the second. It was deemed a technical draw.