Kal and Gamal Yafai showed their mean streak for all of us to see in Birmingham, as they captured the WBA Inter-Continental super-flyweight and Commonwealth super-bantamweight titles respectively at the Genting Arena in Birmingham.
Kal took a step closer to a future world title shot with WBA ruler Kohei Kono, demolishing former world title challenger Dixon Flores inside a round, in what will now be considered a huge mismatch. Yafai dropped Flores, before a sickening body shot stopped the Nicaraguan in his tracks.
As for younger brother Gamal, he came out on top of a hugely entertaining scrap with Bobby Jenkinson, who showed heart and guts, as he kept coming back, despite being under huge pressure by “The Beast”.
Kal, a former 2008 Olympian, looks to be a real force at super-fly and will no doubt now vacate the British title he won in his last fight, due to a lack of viable contenders, to pursue world honours and you wouldn’t bet against him on this showing.
He started like a steam train, behind a piston-like jab, before uncorking a rapid left hand which sent Flores sprawling. Flores, who was stopped in five rounds by WBC ruler Carlos Cuadras last year, decided the best course of action was to fight fire with fire. However, that ultimately proved to be his downfall.
Yafai was more than happy to get involved in a brawl, coming out on top of every exchange, before sinking in the body shot, which left Flores writhing in agony on the floor, and rendered the judges useless.
Flores received oxygen and had to be helped to his stool once he made his way to his feet, as Yafai sent out a statement to the rest of the division. He is running out of options and viable fights, so the big one has got to be next on his agenda.
“I saw the opening and I took it,” said Yafai. “Once I landed clean, I knew he’d be in trouble. Trust me, I hit any of these Super-Flyweights clean, its goodnight.
“I said I’d take my time and box him early on. I saw him box the WBC champion and he gave him trouble, wobbling him in the first round but I was on a mission to make a real statement.
“No British Super-Flyweight will fight me so it’s onto the World title next. Get Kono over here. All respect to Flores for coming here but when I land clean, I put them away. I dedicate it to my Mum as an early Mother’s Day present.”
Gamal needed a breakout fight, as it has appeared he has just been going through the motions in previous contests. He had to look good and he certainly came through in style, helped along by a game, former champion in Lincoln’s Jenkinson.
Yafai won every round, catching Jenkinson, who was making the first defence of the belt he beat Lewis Pettitt for last September, with some very heavy blows, that “Dazzler” did well to take.
If you wanted excitement, then this was definitely the fight for you, as both fighters threw caution to the wind at times and unleashed big shots at each other. Neither stuck to the basics particularly well, but it made for a cracking scrap that had everyone on their feet.
The left hand was there all night for “The Beast” and he caught Jenkinson with it at will. Jenkinson forced plenty of exchanges, dragging Yafai into it at times, but in the end it only made Yafai step it up a gear.
A cut next to the left eye in the fourth, gave Yafai an extra sense of urgency, setting up the round of the fight, as both threw everything they had the other’s way.
In the end it took more out of Jenkinson, who took a bit of a pasting from then on, getting dropped in the sixth, although he managed to survive as the bell sounded.
He wasn’t so lucky in the seventh, which turned out to be the final round. Yafai sensed the end was in sight and launched a barrage of blows Jenkinson’s way. Gamal closed in and finally a body shot settled matters, as “Dazzler’s” corner threw the towel in to save their man.
“In my last fight I had a fractured sprained hand,” said Yafai. “I had injections the week before and it went in the second round. That’s why I had a bad performance. I beat a better kid here. He was wincing and I knew he was going. It was just a case of jumping all over him and not letting him off the hook, and that’s exactly what I did.”
Both men gave everything to entertain the crowd and it was the perfect, breakout performance for Yafai. Jenkinson is not afraid of a tear-up and will not be short of offers after this. He definitely earned the respect of all British fight fans tonight.
Photo Credit – Phil Sharkey
– Matthew Bevan / @MBevs68
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