Boxing: Simmons left feeling sour after Swede sneaks through

Published on Monday 7 December 2009 08:43

LEITH VICTORIA'S Scottish heavyweight champion Steve Simmons was so incensed by the decision to award yesterday's fight against Erik Skoglund to the Swede he has vowed never to fight again in his home country under Scottish judges.

The bout at Edinburgh's Masonic Club as part of Leith Vics' Christmas show saw Skoglund deliver a masterful display of counter-punching while Simmons attacked with slinging double jabs and classy combinations. This was a contest where, had it been possible under amateur rules, a draw would have been the fairest result. Instead, the Swede came through 23-22.

While Simmons was vexed by the decision, made after the crowd delivered a standing ovation to the fighters, claiming "I won clearly", Skoglund, 19, countered: "Simmons was incredibly strong and he hurt me several times but I landed better quality shots. I deserved to win.''

Skoglund brilliantly demonstrated why two of Germany's top promoters are presently seeking his name on a pro contract while Simmons showed why he is arguably the best amateur heavyweight in Britain just now. The bout was filmed by BBC TV cameras as part of a documentary on Simmons' career.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the quality scale on the bill, Lochend's Tommy Philbin won the Eastern middleweight title in a towsy, torrid, foul-filled three rounds where Philbin was the victim of a blatant left hook to the groin and a judo leg throw by Fife rival Edward Finney who was lucky not to be thrown out for a list of infringements which provoked loud booing from the crowd.

Those infractions of the rules were perhaps provoked by Philbin damaging Finney's nose with a crashing right uppercut in the first round which saw the ringside doctor twice halt the bout for medical inspections on the Fifer. The judges too were in a forgiving mood for Finney's disregard for the rules as they gave Philbin as the winner by a narrow 15-13 margin.

There were also wins for middleweight Grahame Wright, lightheavyweight Tom Carter and lightweight Paddy Jumelle while Josh Taylor had to pull out of his fight after damaging his right hand in the warm-up.