Boxing: Husnain Ali loses to Andrew Stafford in split decision

Hamer Boxing Club

Husnain Ali lost to Andrew Stafford of Chadderton ABC in the Northwest Region Elite semi-finals at Tameside Boxing Club, Stalybridge on Saturday (24 March).

In the first round Ali did not give Stafford any room to get his shots off as the Hamer boxer constantly forced him onto the ropes to unload heavy punches to both the body and head 

This went on throughout the round as Stafford tried desperately to gain some distance which the Hamer boxer Ali would not allow, and he continued to put the Chadderton boxer off his game to take the round. 

The second round started much like the first with Ali sticking to the game plan set out by the Hamer team.

Stafford is a very competent boxer with a record of 19 wins and only three defeats yet Ali was clearly taking the fight to him until he received an accidental head butt to the mouth, which loosened one of his front teeth.

The Hamer boxer immediately let the referee know what had happened to him and to the surprise of the Hamerr camp, he gave Ali a standing eight count against him.

Hamer's concern about the referee increased when he gave Ali a public warning for holding when it was clear for everyone to see that it was the Chadderton boxer who was holding while Ali was constantly trying to work on the inside. 

The third round was a scrappy affair in which neither boxer gained the advantage and Stafford was awarded the victory by a split-decision.  

Steven Connellan said: "I have been in this game a lot of years and I know exactly what went on in the ring that Saturday afternoon. Even Stafford's coach told me later that he also couldn't understand the refereeing that day. He told me that Stafford was flabbergasted and bewildered as to what to do with the Hamer boxer and he said Stafford also got a public warning in the third round by the referee to try and deflect what had happened in the ring.

“I know this club and they have some very good coaches who work hard in the gym so we are not going to allow the mishap of one person to cause a rift between us.

"We now hope that Stafford goes on to win the national title, but he will always remember that brutal afternoon when Husnain Ali took to fight to him and nearly came away with the win.”