10:19am Thursday 11th March 2010
By Tony Kelly
RING ace Graham Fearn believes he has raised the bar for the renaissance of professional boxing after his latest outing.
Fearn’s ninth professional outing – he only entered the paid ranks less than two years ago at the veteran age of 33 – pitted him into a near mission impossible as a huge underdog against serving soldier Amir Unsworth.
The serving PTI instructor, who is due back for another tour of duty in Afghanistan next month, won a unanimous points verdict, but Fearn remained unfazed and upbeat as he now plans to return to training next week for his tenth fight.
Said Fearn, who travelled to the Doncaster Dome for the clash only a few hours after finishing a shift on the Aero production line at Nestlé: “Just recently in York we have had an influx of pro boxers coming through the ranks and I believe I have set a good standard.
“I have kept the interest going and I’m respected on the UK pro circuit.
“It was only my ninth pro fight and my second of six three-minute rounds, but one thing is for sure, you never stop learning in this game.”
Fearn only discovered soon after arriving at the venue that he would be topping the bill, a discovery which initially unsettled him.
But he added: “When I turned pro in 2007 I never even thought I would make chief support, never mind topping a bill. It was unsettling at first but once I got my head round it I thought “hey why not? Not many boxers from York make the pro circuit let alone top bills”.
The entry of Unsworth, who is due to fight for a Midlands title for the second successive year soon, was another surprise with the solider getting a military escort including a drummer from the North West Infantry Regiment Unit ahead of the light-welterweight contest.
Unsworth had beefed up on carbohydrates immediately after the 5pm weigh-in and by the time of the contest five hours later was reckoned to be as much as half a stone heavier than Fearn.
That weight of punch proved a crucial factor, though Fearn troubled his opponent with crisp uppercuts in an opening two rounds that could have been fought in a telephone-box it was so up close and personal.
Unsworth’s greater weight and size was to the fore in the middle of the fight with him bullying the York fighter for the third and fourth rounds and, despite Fearn’s testing jab which worked well, Unsworth got the verdict by 60 points to 55.
As he contemplated his return to training Fearn said: “I have kept to my word that my career would be short and explosive.
“I will be back in the gym next week and see what offers come my way.”
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