Gully has the Powar to pass latest test on BCB’s Takeover

If the early stages of a boxing career are about learning, Gully Powar (11-0) passed his latest test with flying colours.

He stepped up to eight rounds with a conclusive shutout points win over Eliecer Quezada on BCB Promotions’ The Takeover at The Hangar Venue in Wolverhampton.

Under the tutelage of Wolverhampton Boxing Club’s Richie Carter and manager Errol Johnson, the impressive 22-year-old has been matched tough against a variety of styles and international opponents.

Nicaragua’s Quezada has 24 wins on his own record, and the tricky switch hitter did his best to make it a contest, but simply couldn’t match Powar’s speed and accuracy.

The super featherweight showed his quick feet as well as fast hands, dazzling Quezada with accurate combinations and boxing well on the back foot.“It’s all about the details in boxing,” said Carter. 

“The way he is improving is because he listens to everything we say, and we will go back and pick faults with that performance until the point we have it absolutely bang on.”

“I showed a skilful eight rounds,” said Powar. 

“I tried to do a bit of everything in there as Richie has been helping me polish my style up, making sure I don’t fall into shots.“Hopefully I can get another fight in December, and then we go for titles in 2025."

It was a tough night for Brandon Bethell (4-1), but he will have learnt a lot from his six rounds with Jahfieus Faure after coming away on the wrong side of a 58-57 decision, losing for the first time since turning over last October.

The 23-year-old from Wolverhampton entered the ring to the familiar sounds of Oasis, and the popular super featherweight fans had once again packed out the venue with Wolves flags aplenty across the VIP tables.

A portion of Bethells fight purse was to be donated to his beloved football teams charitable foundation.

All the momentum and energy in the room was for Brandon, but it was Faure who was dictating the pace of the fight, getting the better of the exchanges up close and getting through with some hurtful straight right hands.

When the action was at range, Bethell was at his best, jabbing well to the body and landing the looping quick punches we have become accustomed to seeing from the TMA Trojan man.

Faure is far better than his record suggests, and at 38 years of age, he showed no signs of tiredness as both men battled through the final rounds.

At the bell, Faure climbed on the top rope confident in victory as Bethell cut a sombre figure. 

Kevin Parker saw it close, but Faure got the nod. The army of Bethell fans cheered him out the ring, and this small setback won’t deter them or him.

You only get one professional boxing debut, and for Burntwood’s Jack Finlan (1-0), he got his career up and running with a 40-36 points win over the vastly-experienced Simas Volosinas.

The 23-year-old is coached by Ste Cadman at the Platinum Boxing Club, and the former amateur showed some of those well-schooled attributes using his long arms to pop out the jab against his smaller opponent.

Volosinas, at just thirty-three, has already boxed over a hundred and thirty times and tucked up well without ever offering much offensively for Finlan to worry about.

He may have had to wait a little longer than hoped to step through the ropes, but Finlan showed no nerves, and after stablemate Troy Coleman’s Area Title success, Burntwood boxing looks to be in a great place.

You don’t get paid for overtime in boxing, and Hamza Azeem (7-0) barely broke in to a sweat, demolishing Martin Shaw in just thirty-one seconds.The first knockout of Azeem’s professional career had been coming, and the 24-year-old from Birmingham seized the opportunity, landing a vicious-looking left hand that sent Shaw staggering into the ropes.

Azeem quickly followed up with a fast combination against the defenceless Shaw. Referee Kevin Parker quickly stepped in to save any more unnecessary punishment.

It was exactly the kind of performance the ‘King’ and his coaching team had been hoping for, and a big 2025 awaits the hard-hitting southpaw.Ryan Griffiths (6-0-1) kept his unbeaten streak going but had to settle for a hard-fought draw against Jordan Ellison.

The 23-year-old Midlands Area featherweight champion from Dudley was boxing in his first six-rounder this time back up at lightweight.

Unlike in his Midlands Title win against Lewis Morris, Griffiths made a slow start as his opponent from Sunderland, a former Area Title holder himself, came out the blocks firing.

Griffiths started to find his rhythm in the middle rounds, pushing Ellison back against the ropes and having numerous successes with the left hand.

It felt like a close fight heading into the sixth, and after another fiercely competitive three minutes, referee Ryan Churchill was unable to split the pair, seeing it 57-57. Birmingham’s Nico Ogbeide (4-0-1) wants a big fight next, and he did his case for that sort of opportunity no harm with a tidy four rounds against Kasey Bradnum, taking the decision 39-37.

The 30-year-old from Birmingham is patient in the ring and doesn’t waste any punches. Keeping a tight, compact style, the ‘Alchemist’ kept Bradnum at range, working well to the body throughout.

At times Nico could have done with being that little bit busier as Bradnum managed to nick a round, but the decision was never in doubt, and the fans who travelled down the M6 chanted their charges name at the final bell.

Conor Baker (5-0) ended his first year in the paid ranks unbeaten, overcoming a motivated Stefan Vincent on points 39-37.

The 26-year-old from Tipton has a very classical boxing style, using his long jab to great effect and getting through with some eye-catching right hands.Vincent, who goes by ‘The Wasp,’ is always a live opponent, and he caught Baker with a solid blow early in the fourth round.

The super lightweight recovered well, and despite dropping the round on the scorecard, he finished the fight as he started, on top.

Wombourne’s James Griffiths (7-0) got the chance to see how much he has improved as a fighter in the last year by rematching Paul Cummings, beating him on points 40-36.

The 29-year-old has worked hard in the gym on his combination punching and was mixing his attacks really well throughout the early stages. A left hand in the third troubled Cummings, who soaked up the punishment as he always does, but a crisp body shot in the fourth visibly hurt the ninety-fight veteran, who managed to just see out the final bell.

Blaine Williams (2-0) may have only rated his performance a six out of ten, but the scorecards showed his dominance, outpointing Josh Morris 40-36 in the night’s opening bout.

The 29-year-old from Selly Oak handled his southpaw opponent well, landing several clean shots to the body as well as having success with the left hook throughout.

Morris is already growing into his role as an away fighter, keeping himself at range and moving constantly, providing Williams a solid test early in his professional journey.