Fenland fighter delivers stoppage victory to impress ringside observers
In the programme for Saturday night’s show, promoter Eddie Hearn wrote: “There’s a lot of talk about Jordan Gill but now it’s time to find out if the hype is real.”
If an answer was needed, the Fenland fighter delivered it in emphatic fashion, scoring a stoppage victory that will have impressed many seasoned ringside observers.
Before the fight, many questioned whether the Chatteris man was ready to step up to championship class against Ryan Doyle.
Yes, he had looked impressive in beating former champion Jason Cunningham earlier this year, but that was the only recognisably title level name on his record to date.
But the doubts were quickly dispelled. Gill produced the crisper punches in what appeared to be two tight opening sessions before Doyle noticeably increased the pace of his work in the third, seemingly conscious of the need to do something to try to disrupt his opponent’s rhythm.
It didn’t work. Doyle, who was making his first defence of the title, was wobbled in round four and sent to the canvas in the closing seconds of the sixth – a lovely short left doing the damage.
The end wasn’t long in coming. With Doyle unable to throw back in the face of another sustained Gill attack, referee Victor Loughlin stepped in midway through round seven to launch the celebrations in the Gill camp.
The new champion was immediately embraced by Dave Coldwell, the trainer and manager who has transformed his career since they linked up last year.
Training partner Anthony Fowler, another of the rising stars of the Coldwell gym, could not hide his delight at ringside while Tony Bellew took a break from preparing for his forthcoming world title fight to, again, sing the praises of a man he believes has the ability to go right to the top. On that evidence, it is difficult indeed to argue.
So what happens next?
According to the Commonwealth Council’s most recent list of contenders, published before Saturday’s fight, Gill should defend his belt against Ghana’s Felix Williams by the end of February next year. Yet there are, potentially, several other options beyond that.
An East Anglian derby against Cromer’s Ryan Walsh, with both British and Commonwealth belts on the line, seems like a natural seller, provided Walsh comes through his forthcoming defence against Nottingham’s Leigh Wood.
Another former Commonwealth title holder, Reece Bellotti, is also on the list of contenders, while Gill’s win should also earn him a ranking with the European Boxing Union and the potential for a shot at that belt too.
Gill’s success at the weekend will doubtless bring back memories of Dave Boy Green winning British and European titles in the 1970s.
The question of whether ‘The Thrill’ can go one better than the Fenland Tiger and lift a world title is already being asked.
That is for the future and it promises to be a very exciting ride.
