Hot prospect Salam is really on the boil

24 October 2007

EAST LONDON light heavyweight Tony Sal-am, making only his sixth pro appearance, added the scalp of former Commonwealth light heavyweight champion Ovill McKenzie to his victim list in Doncaster on Friday night, writes LEN WHALEY. It was a real boost for hot-prospect Salam, a former ABA champion who has built up his boxing career alongside his studies at Stratford's University of East London. He only made his pro debut less than a year ago - when McKenzie was reigning as the Commonwealth lightheavyweight titleholder.

SALAM’S HOT: East London-based light heavyweight Tony Salam goes from strength to strength in his pro career.

Jamaican-born McKenzie, who was formerly based at Canning Town's Peacock Gymnasium but is now trained by Derby's ex-heavyweight Clifton Mitchell, looked well above the standard of opposition Salam had faced earlier in his career.

However, the more experienced fighter was repeatedly beaten to the punch from the start of their clash at the Doncaster Dome as Salam found the gaps in his rival's defences with sharp-hitting southpaw attacks.

The 28-year-old McKenzie produced his best attacks in bursts and shook Salam with a powerful right in the second session.

However, despite the desperate efforts of trainer Mitchell, who even slapped his fighter between rounds, McKenzie could not score with enough punches to turn the fight his way.

It was the steady pressure of the undefeated Salam that put him in front in the contest, with both boxers warned for holding by referee Michael Alexander.

In the fifth session, a frustrated McKenzie blatantly pushed Salam to the canvas and was deducted a point by the referee.

In the final session it was a tiring Salam, who was warned for holding - and had a point deducted from the referee's scorecard.

He was also given a count after slipping to the floor in the final round, but he obviously had built up a clear lead over the earlier rounds for he was still scored a 77-75 winner on referee Alexander's official scorecard.

Although it was an untidy finish to the fight, the victory surely sends Salam up the lightheavyweight rankings but could mean problems for promoter Frank Maloney as finding opponents for him will not be easy.

Despite his lack of pro experience, the former ABA titleholder should surely be lined up for title action in 2008.