THE RESULT: In one more scintillating British title combat in a yr already filled with them, Ashley Lane received the British bantamweight title on the second try by slowing down and stopping Chris Bourke within the sixth spherical tonight (March 22) at Bethnal Inexperienced’s York Corridor. The combat, which was compelling all through, started with Bourke boxing fairly brilliantly for 2 or three rounds earlier than Lane then got here on sturdy and gained confidence in rounds 4 and 5. By the sixth, fairly extremely, there appeared just one man in management and just one winner. That man was Lane, who rocked Bourke with a proper hand within the sixth and completed him two minutes and 9 seconds into the spherical. The win delivers Lane each the British title and the Commonwealth title.
KEY MOMENTS: It began so effectively for Bourke, with him touchdown loads of eye-catching left palms – thrown as each a cross and an uppercut – within the first three rounds and even chopping Lane above the attention in spherical one. This success was to not final, nevertheless, and shortly it was Lane doing all the higher work. A person arduous to cease, Lane caught to Bourke and stayed there, refusing to both take a backwards step up or give Bourke a second’s peace. In the long run, a giant proper hand within the sixth proved the decisive punch, swinging the combat the way in which of an unrelenting Lane.
RECORDS: Lane, 33, is now 18-10-2 (3), whereas Bourke, 29, falls to 13-2 (8).
TALKING POINT: Not for the primary time, tonight’s British title combat was a positive instance of perseverance and by no means giving up. This is applicable not solely to the very fact Lane entered the combat with 10 defeats to his identify, but in addition the way in which the 33-year-old boxed on the evening. Outclassed early, and seemingly out of his depth, Lane caught to the sport plan and maintained whole perception that he would ultimately get to Bourke and make him combat his combat. He was, in each respect, spot on.
QUOTABLE: “I left dwelling at 18, I used to be homeless just a few instances, I moved to Devon, moved again to Northampton, after which to Bristol to coach with Lee Haskins,” mentioned Lane. “My life has been up and down. I’ve been homeless and suicidal. It’s been brutal. However ever since I began boxing at 15 I knew that no one from Northampton had received a British title and I needed to be the primary one. I’ve simply completed that. If I can aspire different children, that’s the very best factor I can do.
“The reduce didn’t hassle me in any respect. I knew it was between my eyes, not working into my eyes. You may’t cease a combat on a reduce that isn’t hindering a fighter. It didn’t hassle me in any respect.”
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT: “The one combat on my thoughts is Thomas Essomba for the European title,” mentioned Lane. “Let’s put all of it on the road: British, Commonwealth and European. He’s a depraved child. I respect him quite a bit. He’s a credit score to the game and he’s completed it the arduous method. Let’s put me and Essomba in there for all of the belts.”
