Bloodied Sinclair claims spellbinding victory

NEIL SINCLAIR re-launched his career with a spellbinding victory on points over Latvian welterweight Sergejs Savrinovics on Saturday night in Cork.

Later he had three stitches inserted in a cut over his left eye that was caused by two overhand rights to the head early in the second round.

From then on it was a bloody battle as the former British champion delivered some delightful multi-punch combinations and the Latvian hit back with some wild but dangerous right hands to the head, despite suffering an injury in the fourth round which left his right eye closed before the end of the fight.

Sinclair admitted afterwards that it would have been a mistake for him to retire after he was stopped by Francis Jones on the Dunne/Walstad undercard at The Point in June.

“I know I said I was retiring in the dressing room afterwards but then I went on holidays, thought it over and realised that I had fought well that night and that it was not the time to retire.”

Jason McKay, the last man to beat John Duddy as an amateur, highlighted his claim for a place on the Duddy undercard in Belfast when he outpointed the Romanian middleweight, Mugurel Sebe, a veteran of more than 50 contests, over eight rounds.

Heavyweight John Timlin from Rossport turned in the performance of his life to stop Javgenijs Stamburskis from Latvia in the seventh round of the scheduled eight rounder.

Promoter Brian Peters said a title fight involving Timlin would be an attractive proposition, hinting that it could take place in a venue west of the Shannon with a possibility that Andy Lee would top the bill.

Results: Boxing No Where to Hyde Professional Show, Cork City Hall: Welterweight (Eight Rounds): Billy Walsh (Shanagarry, Cork) beat Denis Alekseevs (Latvia) RSF Round 5; Welterweight (Six Rounds): Neil Sinclair (Belfast) beat Sergejs Savrinovics (Latvia) Pts: 60-54; Middleweight (Eight Rounds) Jason McKay (Banbridge) beat Mugrel Sebe (Romania) Pts 80-73; Middlweight (Six Rounds) Ciaran Healy (Belfast) beat Martins Kukuls (Latvia) Pts 59-57; Heavyweight (Eight Rounds): Declan Timlin (Rossport) beat Jevgenijs Stanurskis (Latvia) RSF Rd. 7.