May rises to the occasion

Nathaniel May needed all his guts and guile to dig himself out of a deep hole at the WA Italian Club last night as the Bunbury featherweight saw off Filipino Lloyd Jardeliza with a unanimous points victory.

But the 97-91, 97-92, 95-93 result was only half the story, with Jardeliza seriously threatening to inflict May's second defeat in a rip-roaring contest.

After May (now 11-1) had bossed the first two rounds with some neat combinations, Jardeliza decided to make life uncomfortable for the WA boxer. He did so initially by banging in two low blows - the first of which left May in a crumpled heap in his own corner, the second resulting in the Philippines fighter having a point deducted.

But then a retreating Jardeliza turned the flow of the fight with a superb left hook which put "Cheeky" on his cheeks.

And in the next round, the fourth, Jardeliza did the same again, another left hook and once more May went down.

It was mystifying why May still wanted to stand and slug it out and that must have been the message from his trainer Peter Stokes, because from the fifth round onwards he got back to his superior boxing.

May finally gets on top of Jardeliza. Pic: Kim Johnson/Hitman Photography

In the sixth he scored with a double jab, to head and body, while his right hand also did damage, and he started both the eighth and ninth rounds with stiff jabs which were on the button.

By the 10th and final round Jardeliza was literally chasing the fight, but May got on his bike to stay out of trouble and win the vacant WBO Youth Asia Pacific belt.

It was, at times, a hairy night for May, who will have learnt much and he should be chuffed with the way he came through his mini crisis.

But opponents will now be looking to take Jardeliza's lead and try to ruffle his feathers. There were also moments when he stopped to complain to referee Gary Ingraham, either because of more perceived low blows or Jardeliza using his head. Ingraham rightly told him to keep fighting and it's not a habit he wants to get into.

The chief support bout, for the WA State lightweight title, proved a one-sided affair as Brandon Ogilvie outclassed Jacob McBride on his way to a third-round stoppage.

Right from the start there was a marked difference in hand speed and it was a similar tale in almost every other facet as Ogilvie took his man apart.

An onslaught in the second round prompted referee Mark Simpson to administer a standing eight count, and McBride showed great courage to see out the round.

There was another eight count in the third, before Ogilvie cut loose again and the fight was ended.

"I thought I was going to stop him in the second but he showed a lot of heart and a good chin, he punched it on," Ogilvie said.

"I wanted to put on a good performance and I'm pleased for my dad (Bradley), who was my main trainer for the fight."

Ogilvie, 21, explained that his short-lived retirement from boxing last month came from the need to find work to provide for his young son Elijah, who watched his dad's victory from ringside.

He said the matter had now been resolved and he will soon head to Bali for a camp with his former trainer Craig Christian before targeting a WBA regional title in August.

Rohan Murdock smashes home a left hook. Pic: Kim Johnson/Hitman Photography

World-rated super-middleweight Rohan Murdock moved to 17-1 with a second-round knockout of Argentinian Francisco Ramon Benitez.

Heavy-handed Murdock, who was born in WA but moved to Queensland when he was six, softened up Benitez with a flurry of body shots then floored the previously unbeaten South American with a right just above the left ear.

Twenty-one seconds into the second round Murdock delivered more bad news for Benitez in the form of a big right which sent him over, and the visitor decided he wasn't getting up.

Murdock, ranked eight by the WBO, retained the organisation's Asia Pacific belt. He said he will now be based in the State of his birth.

In a women's minimumweight clash, Louisa "Lulu" Hawton positioned herself for a world title fight with a six-round points win over Jujeath Nagaowa.

But the victory didn't come without a price, as the tough Filipino's liberal use of the head left Hawton with massive swelling on her left cheekbone.

Louisa Hawton lands an uppercut against Jujeath Nagaowa. Pic: Kim Johnson/Hitman Photgraphy

Australian Olympic Games representative Jackson Woods enjoyed the perfect pro debut with a third-round TKO victory over Baikon Lokromklao of Thailand.

The Tasmanian, now based in Joondalup and training under Pat Devellerez, came alive in the second and dropped Lokromklao with a lovely right uppercut, left hook combo. Late on in the round, the Thai was down again and when he visited the canvas for the third time, in round three, referee Bill Seth had seen enough.

Local crowd favourite Steve Wills, in his first fight in 20 months, looked rusty as he won an uneventful six-rounder over Sapapetch Sor Sakaorat.

The only excitement came in round four when middleweight Wills had the Thailand fighter down, otherwise it was a dull affair as Wills struggled for timing and range.

Hawton sports a badly swollen cheekbone after her fight. Pic: Neil Devey/WA News

In the one other fight on CDL Boxing's Western Alliance 17 show, Collie's Liam Vernon and Scarborough-based Northern Irishman Dominic McConnell served up a treat as they went toe-to-toe for four rounds.

Vernon was awarded a majority decision, largely on the basis of two knockdowns. The first was harsh as it appeared to come from a push, but the second was the result of a sweet right-hand.

The rest of the fight provided fantastic entertainment, as the two warriors traded blows.

More than once Vernon was forced to bite down on his gumshield as the red-headed McConnell - square on and swinging - went hell for leather.

But the West Aussie didn't give an inch, even when eating some really big uppercuts. And with blood pouring from a gash on his left eyebrow in the last, he kept firing back.

Somehow both were standing at the last bell, Vernon got the nod, just, and there was immediate talk of a rematch. It can't come quickly enough.

- Unbeaten Tapping featherweight Clint Hosking has confirmed he has quit boxing.

"The Hammer" won all 10 of his pro fights but said having reached the top 15 in the World Boxing Council ratings, he was not able to give the sport the commitment it required.

"Boxing's always been a hobby to me, my work's always come first," the qualified fitter said.

"But being top 15 in the world, I would have to give it a whole new level of commitment which I can't.

"It was a hard decision to make and there's a lot more in me. But family always comes first and that means work."

Hosking, 33, is keen to stay in the sport and said he may look to take up refereeing.