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Showtime ShoBox Recap

May 10, 2008

Trent FM Arena-Nottingham, England

When this event aired in the United States, it featured Timothy Bradley's huge 12-round split decision upset victory over Junior Witter to claim a title at 140 pounds and Carl Froch defeating Albert Rybacki via technical knockout at 2:35 of round 4. However, the telecast was also originally supposed to feature John Murray vs. Jon Fewkes. That match did not happen that night. However, the match had already been researched by the time it was canceled. Since, there is no point in wasting it. Here is the research that would have been used for the match that night:

BBB of C English Lightweight (135 pounds) 10-Round Championship Match:

John Murray (23-0, 12 KO's, pounds) (c) vs. John Fewkes (17-0, 2 KO's, pounds)

Murray won this championship when it was vacant over Dean Hickman via technical knockout at 2:50 of round 4 on November 9, 2007 at the Ice Arena in Nottingham. The previous champion was Scott Lawton who apparently vacated this title, because it is worthless. Murray is making his first defense of his British Boxing Board of Control English Lightweight Championship. (Thanks to Mike Sempervive for deciphering that abbreviation.)

Murray has faced a mix of inexperienced and terrible opponents. Of Murray's 23 opponents, 9 had at least 29 losses before facing him. Of those 9 opponents, 4 had at least 60 losses. Murray faced opponents with 78 and 166 losses that were amazingly still sanctioned.

The opponents Murray has faced 10 opponents with a winning record. However, only 2 had at least 25 professional matches. The first was Johnny Walker, who entered the match 18-15, but on a 13 match losing streak with 7 of those losses coming by way of knockout.

The champion's last match was a 10-round unanimous decision victory over Miguel Angel Munguia at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 7, 2007 as part of the untelevised card of Floyd Mayweather, Jr. vs. Ricky Hatton. Munguia was the other opponent on Murray's record who had a winning record and more then 25 career pro matches before facing Murray. However, Munguia was 2-9 in his last 11 matches before facing Murray, and 6 of those losses had come by way of knockout. Therefore, this match was not sanctioned as a title match.

Murray is unranked by The Ring magazine, and the number 69 ranked boxer at 135 pounds by boxrec.com.

Fewkes' record has been made off of beating disgracefully soft opposition. Only 3 of Fewkes 16 opponents have entered come into their matches with him with a winning record. Of the 16 opponents, 7 of the opponent had at least 20 losses when facing him. Of those 4 had at least 40 losses coming into their matches with Fewkes, and 1 opponent even had 81 losses, before facing Fewkes.

The challenger has had only one other scheduled 10-round match in his career. It was a rematch of a 6-round decision victory over the then, 15-22-3, Tony Montana. In the rematch, Fewkes retired Montana, winning a 10-round decision on February 17, 2006. Montana ended his career, including the 2 losses to Fewkes on a 7 match losing streak and having lost 10 of his last 12.

Fewkes last match was a decision win in a 4-round match over Frederic Gosset on March 28, 2007 at the Metrodome in Yorkshire, England. The match was held at 140 pounds, and Fewkes opponent that night, Gosset entered the match with a record of 11-42-2. Gosset was coming into the match off 16 straight losses dating beck to October 6, 2006. However, Gosset had only lost 1 of those matches by knockout.

Fewkes is unranked by The Ring, and the number 68 boxer at 135 pounds by boxrec.com.

At 22-years-old, Fewkes is 1 year younger then the 23-year-old Murray. Murray will employ the orthodox stance.