(JUNE 30) VIP Promotions in association with KBP last Saturday night, 25th June 2011 staged another of their Professional Boxing evenings at The George Carnell Centre , a modern sporting and leisure facility in Urmston, Manchester, England.

Run successfully since their first tournament in April 1996, by husband and wife team, Stephen and Lynne Wood , VIP Promotions have grown to be arguably the premier promoter in the Manchester area. It showed in their efficient organisation as the evening progressed.

The Master of Ceremonies’ announced - BOUT FIVE¬ - this ladies Lightweight fight as the Top of The Bill.

Local girl MAXINE McCARTHY (4-0-0) was having her fifth boxing match - ever - having never fought as a amateur.

An attractive friendly intelligent young lady with hazel eyes and blond braided hair, her strong personality and undoubted ability has enabled her to become a successful well known local business woman owning a clothes shop and adjacent beauty salon near Worsley, Salford. England.

32-year-old McCARTHY is one of the youngest of a colourful Irish family of 3 sisters and 6 brothers, Boxing is in her blood. Her father boxed professionally as “ Derek McCarthy “ and “Pat McCarthy” having over 130 fights ! He, and numerous other members of her family were at the ringside to give her noisy encouragement!

She was educated at St Patrick’s Roman Catholic Comprehensive School in Eccles where she was a sports champion. Since her first fight on the 10th, April 2010 against ZSOFIA BEDO she has completed her studies at Salford University and gained a B.Sc degree in Sports Science.

Her opponent, was GALINA IVANOVA GUMLIISKA aged 37 from Sofia in Bulgaria who does not speak English.

She is a very experience professional boxer having had 28 fights since she started her career on 19th, August 1997. She boxes out of the famous MICHAEL SIMOV’S gym in Sofia and has fought some of the best women boxers including former World Champions such as INA MENZER, SILKE WEICKENMEIER, ESTHER SCHOUTEN and Britain’s own JANE COUCH, and European Champion ANITA CHRISTENSEN,

Although weighing in 12 pounds lighter than McCARTHY at 5 foot 6 inches tall she had a height and reach advantage.

First into the ring’s Blue Corner, GUMLIISKA was soberly clad all in black with a sleeveless sports vest and mini skirt.

McCARTHY, was much more brightly dressed in a black sports bra and abbreviated silver and leopard skin satin trunks with the words “Mad Max” embroidered onto the front of her waist band and “Josie” on the back..

Standing in the Red Corner she displayed her beautiful walnut coloured muscular body, the product of 9 years training as an amateur body builder.

She acknowledged the excited whistles and clapping of her supporters.

At the bell McCARTHY adopted her by now characteristic fighting stance of putting her head down, charging her opponent, raining swinging left and right hooks to any part of GUMLIISKA that she could reach. GUMLIISKA responded by grabbing hold of her. She threw a number of punches of her own – some straight lefts, and short hooks, but none with much accuracy or weight.  The fight settled into a pattern for the 4 rounds. Violent fighting clinches, mainly instigated by McCARTHY, with both women holding their opponent, principally around the neck.

It seemed that GUMLIISKA used this tac tic to stop McCARTHY from hitting her , whilst McCARTHY appeared to use a similar tac tic, but the better to hit her opponent !

Referee MARK LYSON had a very busy job throughout the contest separating the women’s “ wrestling matches “ and admonishing both for breaching the rules.

This was an all action 4 round scrap with McCARTHY constantly taking the fight to her opponent.

A classical demonstration of the finer technical points of boxing; it was not!

However for guts and determination McCARTHY could not be faulted. GUMLIISKA stood her ground, but was generally overwhelmed by the ferocity and vigour of McCARTHY’S attacks. GUMLIISKA’S style of keeping her right glove up high whilst dropping her left to waist level did not prove effective against McCARTHY’s multihanded attacks. McCARTHY switched from orthodox to southpaw and back again in her mix of leads; When the final bell sounded the Referee had no hesitation in raising McCARTHY’S arm as the clear winner. She had been in command from the first bell!

She now advances to 5 wins, no losses, no draws and GUMLIISKA drops to 8 wins, 21 losses, no draws.

In an exclusive interview with your correspondent after the fight McCARTHY disclosed that although on paper GUMLISKA was the most formidable woman which she had fought ; her fight on the 6th, November 2010 against POLINA PENCHEVA which had been televised on Eurosport had been toughest fight.

With her next fight probably in October 2011 McCARTHY is looking to raise her game further with her next opponent . She is knows that she must do this to achieve her British, Irish and World title ambitions.

There were four male bouts on the card: 

BOUT ONE
MARK EVANS v STEVE GETHIN - 6 x 2 Super Featherweight

EVANS ( record 1 – 0 – 0 ) aged 30 from Anglesey , Wales weighing in at 132 pounds beat GETHIN ( record 11 – 61 – 3 ) aged 21 from Walsall, West Midlands, weighing in at 136 pounds on points 60 to 54

BOUT TWO

ARRON MICHAEL jnr v RYAN CLARK. 4 x 3 Super Middleweight

MICHAEL ( record 1 – 0 – 0 ) aged 25 from Middleton, Lancashire, weighing in at 163 pounds beat CLARK ( record 1– 33 – 4) aged 21 from Waddington, Lincolnshire weighing in at 171 pounds on points 39 to 37

BOUT THREE

MARTIN GRAINGER v HOWARD DALEY 6 x 2 Cruiserweight

GRAINGER ( record 6 – 4 – 0 ) aged 26 from Heywood, Lancashire, weighing in at 163 pounds beat DALEY ( record 2 – 24 – 2 ) aged 34 from Preston, Lancashire weighing in at 213 pounds on points 60 to 54

BOUT FOUR

ASHLEY MAYALL v KRISTAIN LAIGHT 6 x 2 Lightweight

MAYALL ( record 0 – 0 – 0 ) who was making his professional debut, aged 18 from Oldham, Lancashire, weighing in at 141pounds beat LAIGHT, who had been boxing professionally since 26th, September 2003,. ( record 6 – 97 – 4 ) aged 31 from Nuneaton, Warwickshire weighing in at 138 pounds on points 60 to 56


© John E.G.Wilson. N.U.J. Words = 1,236

Text and pictures : Copyright John E.G.Wilson.