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2008-01-18
Sweet Revenge for Brown Sugar?

In a thrilling bout for the British Super-Bantamweigh title, Esham Pickering successfully defended his Lonsdale Belt and gained a revenge victory over a brave Sean Hughes.



Hughes had shocked Pickering only ten weeks prior in a supposedly routine 8 rounder when he convincingly outpointed the former world title challenger, leaving him a bloody and battered fighter.



This time around Pickering promised it'd be different and it was, but only after a titanic and gruelling struggle. Both men reached deep inside themselves and produced something special.


Pickering vs. Hughes I






There were worried whispers prior to this rematch that it was coming too soon after the first encounter for Pickering. Indeed those concerns looked well founded in the 1st round as he was caught repeatedly by jabs and straight lefts by Hughes from out of his southpaw stance. Hughes couldn't seem to miss and had Pickering on shaky legs. Esham went back to his corner with blood seeping from his nose and to a rollicking from trainer Carl Greaves. Things looked decidedly bleak for the yorkshire man at this point.



But he began to find his feet a little in the 2nd which was a closer round, and by the 3rd he was finally looking a bit more like the Pickering of old. He began to land slick leads and was a far more elusive target. And the growing feeling that after a terrible start Pickering was now starting to impose himself on his less experienced challenger was reinforced in spectacular fashion in the 4th as Pickering heavily floored Hughes twice with right hands. Hughes was badly hurt and it was remarkable he someone managed to survive the round. That he did is a testament to his courage and fitness, but the script seemed written at this point.



But apparently nobody had told Sean Hughes and he began to claw his way back into the fight. The next few rounds Pickering was probably taking with his slicker work but it was hard going. The action flowed both ways with Pickering landing cleaner, but Hughes working consistently and making Esham work. Pickering was working well in spots but Highes would not go away. Both men took turns rattling the other with heavy punches and the eventual outcome was still very much undecided.


Pickering vs. hughes II






But finally in the 9th round Pickering found the punches he needed to put paid to Hughes stirring challenge. Hughes has never been the hardest guy to hit and when Pickering unleashed a barrage of clean punches that sent Hughes reeling backwards the referee decided he'd seen enough. The stoppage was perhaps a little early, but Esham was deadly accurate with the finishing salvo and Hughes looked just about finished for the night.



So 'Brown Sugar' is still the British 122 pound champion, but what of the future? Well id be a liar if i said it didn't look very fragile. In cameo's against Hughes he displayed the ability that had took him to a previous top ten world ranking, but this fight was too hard. To be frank, it was way too hard! With all due respect to Sean Hughes, the Esham Pickering of a few years ago would have had little trouble with him. That Hughes with only 1 stoppage win on his slate, was able to have Pickering hurt on more than one occasion does not bode well. It'd be a fitting end to an excellent career if Pickering bowed out now, but of course thats not how it usually works in this game. He'll go on, but Esham's grip on the British-Super bantam crown is a shaky one and the challengers for it are circling like vultures.

 
Article By: lurkyshaka