Troy Coleman left disappointed in latest result
Troy Coleman forced to settle for a draw
It was honours even for Troy Coleman (13-3-1) and Robbie Chapman on BCB Promotions 'No Backing Down' at the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham, with the referee Ryan Churchill unable to split the pair, 38-38, much to the surprise of the crowd and media ringside.
Whilst the fight lacked any standout moments, the result came as a complete shock to Coleman's corner, who thought their charge had won every one of the four rounds.
After a steady opener, the Burntwood man boxed patiently, flicking out the jab and landing single shots against the defensive-minded Chapman.
The pace of the fight slowed in the third, arguably Chapman's best round, but he wasn't landing anything of serious note.
At the final bell, Coleman's corner looked confident of victory but instead had to settle for the draw, much to his frustration.
There are plenty of big fights available for the Midlands Area Middleweight Champion, who wants the British title, so he will have to bounce back from this disappointment.
Nico Ogbeide vs Liam Fitzmaurice
Headlining for the first time in his home city, Nico Ogbeide (5-0-1) remained unbeaten with a clinical four rounds against Liam Fitzmaurice, 40-36.
The 'Alchemist' has been mandated for the Midlands Area Title and now believes he is ready to make the step up.
The Birmingham-born talent kept the fight at range throughout and showed a maturity in not allowing it to become scrappy on the inside.
Jamie Edwards vs Simas Volosinas
Jamie Edwards (2-0-1) looked sensational, blowing away the normally durable Simas Volosinas inside two rounds.
A series of sickening body shots did the damage in round two, with the Lithuanian touching the canvas three times before the referee rightly waved the fight off.
Edwards has been out of the ring for over a year but showed zero signs of ring rust and has well and truly got his young career back on track.
Hamza Azeem vs Shane Smith
Hamza Azeem (8-0) put in a determined performance against the game Shane Smith, taking a shutout 60-54 points decision.
The 'King' had been battling an illness that almost saw him pull out of the fight, but he showed little signs of frailty, dominating the action from start to finish.
A rematch of their clash in 2024, the improvements were clear to see as the rangy southpaw boxed smartly throughout, deservedly taking the one-sided win.
Yahya Abdullah vs Juan Alberto Batista
Northampton's Yahya Abdullah (3-0) got off to a lightning-fast start, dropping Juan Alberto Batista twice in the first round of the night's opening bout.
Now unbeaten after three, Abdullah continues to impress with his punch variety and hand speed, troubling Batista numerous times with the overhand right.
The tough Argentinian did well to compose himself and managed to see the remaining three rounds out, with Abdullah taking a 40-34 points decision.
