Every now and again sport throws up a true Cinderella story that leaves us feeling dumfounded and inspired. Such a story recently came to light in a contest for the British Light-Welterweight boxing title where Bristol’s Darren Hamilton pulled off the unlikeliest of victories against a much fancied opponent who many onlookers believed to be a couple of classes above the Bristolian.
Last Saturday night (19/5/2012) Hamilton faced off against Ashley Theophane in an effort to wrestle away his British Light-Welterweight title with only a week’s notice following Steve Williams’ decision to pull out of the his scheduled fight with Theophane due to illness. Hamilton had fought and defeated former British champion John Watson just three weeks previously, leaving him little time to prepare for the fight of his life.
Just a few short years ago Hamilton was homeless; a boxer going nowhere and sleeping at his gym. Since joining Spencer Fearon and his ‘HardKnocks’ boxing outfit, he has turned his career around and buoyant on the enthusiasm and energy that Fearon and his team project he became their first British champion and boxing talisman by clinching the title with a unanimous points decision at the Aintree Equestrian Centre in Liverpool.
Andrew Harding of Your Golf Travel training with Darren Hamilton and Spencer Fearon at Rooney’s Gym in London prior to the fight.
Hamilton set about his task well from the start and carried his impressive form throughout the entirety of the fight. The boxer promoted by Spencer Fearon and trained by the experienced Harry Andrews, never slacked, never stopped grinding, never stopped believing and made his dreams come true.In truth judges had a tough task on their hands when it came to the scoring with very little between the two fighters. Hamilton seemed to land an extra punch or two when coming in and out of the fierce exchanges; and upon hearing the final bell his tenacity was rewarded by the judges.Theophane, 31, had the chance in this is third defence of the Lonsdale belt, to claim full ownership of it with bigger fights guaranteed and will look back on the night as a chance gone begging. Many felt the champion was going to be too good for Hamilton, who although a good boxer was considered levels below. However after a timid start Theophane never got to grips with the newly crowned champion’s style and wasn’t able to step it up or take the upper hand.
Having had a full training camp based around beating Steve Williams, it mustn’t have been easy for Theophane to adjust to fighting another fighter but equally, with only three week’s notice and having last fought barely a month ago, Hamilton could argue that he was equally unprepared. Hamilton coped better with the circumstances, ceased his moment and turned his life around.
As the final bell rang, Hamilton and his team celebrated in a muted fashion; perhaps with an air of incertitude, while Don Charles, Theophanes coach lifted his fighter on his shoulders, nearly dropping him as the pair struggled to find their centre of gravity on the Las Vegas style red canvas of the Liverpool ring.
The judge’s scores came back 117-112, 115-113, 118-113 all in Hamilton’s favour and the hard work put in by himself, his promoter and trainer was vindicated with the title. Upon hearing the decision, such was the overwhelming joy, emotion and shock that came over Darren; he immediately leaped out of the ring and ran off up the gantry, only to be lead back to the ring to be presented with his new Lonsdale belt. Darren wore it with pride with a smile that stretched from ear to ear.
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