Newcastle - Jeff Ofori (13-5-2, 4 KO’s) sprang the upset of the night in Newcastle, dragging former Team GB member, Calum French (4-1, 1 KO), into a fight and wearing him down for a seventh round stoppage. 

French made a brisk start, taking the centre of the ring and edging forward. At times, he stood a little flat footed and but when he introduced a little bit of in-and-out footwork into his performance and combined it with some head movement, he found it easy to put his punches together and Ofori struggled with the angles French was showing him. 

Ofori realised that he wasn’t going to have much success by picking single shots and upped the tempo in the third, swarming forward in his own awkward style making French worry about his footwork and preventing the man from Gateshead from getting his own punches off. 

The tactic worked. Unable to control the pace and distance himself, French began to look a little lost. He suffered a bad cut over his left eye and Afori began to land with left and right hands from all angles. 

Ofori had the bit between his teeth. He walked forward without a care for what was coming back his way. He continued to punch in two’s and three’s, busting French up badly and pushing him around inside. Ofori really planted his feet at the end of the fifth, rocking French’s head around with lefts and rights. 

French finally began to box again in spells in the sixth and earned himself a slight respite. It was by no mean a turning point but Ofori had to work a little harder for his moments but int he sixth, French once again resorted to holding his feet and trying to out battle Ofori. He forced himself on and may have been shading the round but a strong finish from Ofori had French stumbling around.

Ofori knew he was just three minutes away from an upset and kept up the pressure in the eighth. As it was he only needed to keep up his attack for 32 seconds. French’s corner threw in the towel when it became clear he wouldn’t be able to turn the fight around.

Ofori generally comes up short against the better prospects in the country but produced an outstanding display to inject new life into his career.

Mark Dickinson had an easier than expected time with former Southern Area champion, Grant Dennis, easing his way to a conclusive fifth round stoppage. 

Dickinson (6-0, 2 KO’s) is 16 years younger than Dennis (18-6, 3 KO’s) and looked to use that youth to his advantage, setting a high pace and making the 40 year old from Kent work. Dennis is a wiley operator and refused to be rushed but he was always a step behind the fighter from West Rainton. Dickinson countered sharply - particularly with the left hook - whenever Dennis did lead with a shot and that forced Dennis even further into his shell.

The pattern continued. Dennis seemed unwilling to hold his feet and put together punches in bunches but was also wary about letting single shots go for fear of being countered. Dickinson worked with what he was given, showing some nice variety with his counters and displaying some elusive head movement in the pocket. 

He stepped on the gas in the fifth. Realising that Dennis had very little for him, Dickinson walked forward, punched through Dennis’ guard and landed a nice right hook behind the elbow. Dickinson realised he had his man hurt and punched away until Dennis sank to the canvas. Although he got to his feet, he stumbled a little and referee, Darren Sarginson, decided that enough was enough at 1.10 of the round.

The fight was an eliminator for the English middleweight title and Dickinson dominated from start to finish.