Temple Mills, England: Jem Belcher's fourth defense of his World Middleweight title since 1800 was more of a leisurely stroll than a prizefight. Prior to taking the REC belt, Belcher had been turned away by Bill Wood in bout for the English title with a draw. He was determined to make Wood pay now that the roles were reversed with Wood the challenger.
Twenty-six seconds into the fight Belcher landed a thundering uppercut that sent Wood to the floor. Up at a count of eight, Wood was badly shaken and bewildered. Rather than finish him off, Belcher opted to move about at great speed laughing as his disoriented foe struggled just to turn and face him. The gallery in attendance so loved the spectacle that Belcher continued the routine. The champ moved with great agility striking blows when and where he wanted. Wood became so bollixed that he nearly fell over a number of times as he un-leashed wild swings at thin air. The decision came down ten round to three for Belcher with two even though it wasn't even that close. The only rounds that Belcher failed to take were those where he clowned for the crowd so much that he failed to even land a blow. Belcher also sent a few blows down low that made Wood double over and brought sadistic cheers from the crowd. The fact that he lost a few rounds in the effort didn't seem to faze the champ a bit.
Clearly, Belcher needs a real challenge. With the likes of George Maddox, Bill Richmond and Isaac Bittoon advancing through the ranks, better competition is on the way. If those men do not meet the call, Belcher may have little choice but to add some weight to his frame and take on the big lads.
OTHER DOINGS:
Inniskillin Dragoon took the English middleweight title from the Caulker who had no business holding the belt to begin with. The fight was a humbug but hopefully will bring a touch of stability to the division and add another name to the list of those that may present a challenge to Belcher.
BELCHER HAS NO EQUAL