By Dean Parr

Hatton Promotions gained yet another two champions on Friday night as Mancunians Denton Vassell and Craig Watson took Commonwealth titles home from the Robin Park Centre in Wigan.

In a domestic 'Fight of the Year' candidate, Ancoats' Denton Vassell (10st 6lbs) came through a multitude of hardships to outwork 'Lights Out' Lee Purdy (10st 6lbs) over twelve gruelling rounds to lift the Commonwealth Welterweight Title.

In the opener, lots of work was done in close, with Vassell's chopping body attacks being the main feature of the session.  An eye-catching right straight punctuated it for him, although Purdy was working diligently, and using straight punches to good effect.

Round two showcased similar themes, although the Mancunian challenger ate more punches than in the first, and when at range, Purdy's jab and cross were landing well.

The third was similarly close, but it seems fair to give the edge to Colchester's Purdy, who nearly forced Vassell to touch down after a short, straight right.  Both fighters were warned for use of heads here as Vassell's body work combined with Purdy's solid chin-on-chest defence meant that there were a few collisions.

Denton started the fourth fast, and continued his 'down and up' attack, starting on the body and working his way to the top with uppercuts and hooks; leading to what could only be given as a Vassell round.

The Bob Shannon-trained fighter dominated the next two as well, utilising yet more solid hooks to the ribs and an outstanding workrate.

Just when it was looking like Purdy was out of the fight, though, he hurt his foe badly with a combination at the end of the seventh.  Vassell was 'saved by the bell,' proving that turning southpaw, as he did in the session, does not work for him.

Testament to his unreal conditioning, the popular Mancunian rebounded well in the eighth, ploughing forward and firing huge numbers into the body of his foe once again.

The ninth was the embodiment of a tear up, with both men headhunting with right straights.  Purdy possibly took this as his punches had more effect, and were doing more damage than those of his opponent.

Purdy, trained by Tony Sims, looked more disorganised in the next two, and he was now allowing Vassell to trap him in corners and wail away with shots.  He gave a reminder that he was still in the fight, though, when he knocked Denton's mouthguard out near the end of the eleventh session.

In spite of this, Vassell put the contest out of doubt in the twelfth, continuing his immense output, and taking his total of punches thrown in the bout to over 1,000.

A deserved winner, Vassell was given the contest by all three judges, with Phil Edwards scoring it 117-112, Marcus McDonnell by a margin of 117-111, and Howard Foster making it much closer at 115-114.

In the immediate future, a break would be a good course of action for the new champion Vassell, now 15-0 (8 early), but down the line, doors have been opened for him and after this performance, he has surely gained a new army of fans.  As for Purdy, 13-2-1 (7 KOs), he may have lost his bid for the Commonwealth crown, but the courage, determination and grit he showed stands him in good stead for future fights.

In the co-main event, a scrap for the vacant Commonwealth Light-Middleweight title, Craig Watson (10st 13lbs) moved up in weight to crush Badru Lusambya (10st 8lbs) and add another belt to his collection.

Lusambya looked one-dimensional in the first, coming forward winging in wild shots.  In contrast, Watson, the slicker of the two, took his time and worked his foe out.

This paid dividends in round two, where 'Mr. Crush' hit the canvas four times en route to a stoppage after 1:50 of the session.  The overhand left from southpaw Watson was too much for Lusambya, who didn't have the technical 'know-how' to get out of the way.

For Watson, 17-3 (7 early), this win punctuates the fact he is an underrated, tidy boxer that can bang.  Lusambya, who decreases to 21-2-2 (19 stoppages), was made to look poor by his sublime foe.

Jez Wilson (11st 5lbs) had to endure disappointment as he was beaten soundly by Farai Musiyiwa (11st 7lbs).  The fireman managed to score a knockdown in the first after a right hook, but in the second, he was put down badly after a chopping right, causing his corner to throw the towel in after 1:50.  Jez drops to 6-1 (4 early), while his foe moves to 18-11-1 (11 KOs).

Craig Lyon's fight with George Gachechiladze was an absolute cracker.  It looked as if it was to be over quick as Lyon (8st 10lbs) scored two knockdowns in the opening session; the first after a beautiful left hook, but Gachechiladze (9st 0lbs 1/4oz) showed tremendous heart, rallying and cutting Lyon over the right eyebrow in the third.  The Scouser was not to be stopped though, and after he wobbled his foe after a right straight, the referee intervened and stopped the contest after 1:20 of the final round.  With this war, Oliver Harrison-trained Lyon moves to 10-0 (3 early) while the valiant Gachechiladze drops to 5-3 (1 KO).

In a Blackpool derby, Matty Askin (13st 8lbs) destroyed the abysmal Matthew Ellis (14st) in a round.  After a solid straight right hand, Ellis went down, and stayed on his knee until the count of ten.  The bout was over at 1:57, improving Askin's record to 6-0 (3 early), while Ellis, whose license should be revoked if he continues to wilt after the first punch that lands clean, drops to 20-10-2 (9 stoppages).

English Lightweight Champion, Martin Gethin (9st 12lbs) boxed cleverly to dismiss the challenge of Jon Baguley (9st 11lbs 8oz) with relative ease.  His overhand right proved to be a potent weapon throughout, and Baguley, who endured a bloody nose and a cut under the right eye, could not get going.  Gethin walked away a 59-55 winner, improving his scoresheet to 18-3-1 (7 KOs).  Baguley decreases to 9-18-1 (5 early).

Ingle Gym heavyweight Richard Towers (17st 2lbs) impressed by beating Yavor Marinchev (15st 10lbs) convincingly.  Towers took his time throughout, and had control of where the bout was contested at all times.  In the second, his Bulgarian opposition was just taking too much punishment, and after hitting the canvas twice, the referee stepped in after 2:27 of the session.  Towers moves to 7-0 (5 KOs), while Marinchev's record takes a hit and now looks like 5-20 (3 stoppages).

In the opinion of this writer, Lee Edwards (11st 3lbs 4oz) was lucky to walk away with such a wide, 60-55, points win against Jon Musgrave (11st 7lbs 4oz).  While undoubtedly slicker and more accurate, Edwards' workrate left a lot to be desired in the first three, when Musgrave really poured it on his foe.  In the later rounds, Edwards dominated though, ensuring his record improved to 11-2 (1 early).  Musgrave falls to 7-8 (0 KOs).

Sergey Gulyakevich (9st 8lbs 1/4oz) used his skills and class to outpoint Nuzgar Margvelashvili (9st 10lbs) over six.  Sergey’s speed and fluidity was something his Georgian foe couldn't deal with, edging him closer to a European title fight against Leva Kirakosyan. Sergey is now 29-2 (13 KOs) after this 59-55 win, whereas Margvelashvili drops to 17-8 (7 KOs).

In the show opener, Worthing's Alex Dilmaghani (10st 3lbs 8oz) defeated Johnny Greaves (10st 3lbs) over the four round distance.  Dilmaghani jabbed and used range effectively in the first three rounds, and when Greaves made a real go of it in the fourth, Alex found the right shots with his back against the ropes, taking relatively few punches.  Dilmaghani moves to 5-0 (1 stoppage) while Greaves is now 2-48 (1 KO).