Boxer Finley James took a step closer to a championship title fight after racking up his third victory with a punch perfect display.
The fast rising 21-year old super-welterweight, from Thundersley, outclassed Manchester based Elliot Eboigi over four rounds to continue his unbeaten run.
Known as the ‘Captain’ from his amateur days as the West Ham ABC team captain, James put on a commanding performance against the Italian at the O2 Indigo, in London last Saturday.
He has now sealed his next date on September 7 at the Brentwood Centre on a Top Tier promotions event as he faces Newark’s experienced Connor ‘The Pitbull’ Meanwell.
He said, “That was a nice night’s work and I’m really pleased with the victory,”
“Eboigbe was strong and he was trying to come forward but that was perfect for me to work off, the jab was my key weapon and everything came off that and I could size him up with my other punches.
“I had fun in there and was enjoying it. In the dressing room before the fight I was chatting with my team and they were telling me to enjoy my early fights as time flies by with fight after fight coming fast and you forget the moments.
“I’m pleased with my performance and really feel that after three fights I’m now settling into the pros and my style is adapting well. There is still a lot more to learn, but I’m training and learning from everyone around me and I feel that I’m amongst the best to develop.
“It was great to box at a cracking venue like the O2 Indigo which looks good on my record and thanks to promoter Mark Neilson and TM14 for making a great show and my fans were all celebrating into the night.”
Throughout the fight James worked behind a rapier southpaw jab and backed up with a hard straight left to keep Eboigbe at bay. Keeping control of the centre of the ring, he showed improved composure and more maturity from his previous fight in April when he defeated Renaldas Dirse.
In the third round James turned it up a notch looking to force a stoppage. With Eboigbe’s right eye starting to swell from catching the frequent jabs, James started to variate his punches showing a lovely right jab and turning it into an uppercut off the same hand.
The final round saw James bring it home with more textbook boxing and sinking in hard shots looking for the big finish, but with Eboigbe digging in to make it the full course, James stuck to his boxing until the final bell.
At the end of the fight, the referee Reece Carter scored the bout 40-36 in favour of James to the delight of his loyal and large home fans.
Spencer Oliver, the former European Super-Bantamweight Champion and TV pundit, was commentating ringside for TalkSPORT and has now become a big fan of James.
Speaking of James’s mastery of judgement, distance and timing, he said: “It has been a boxing master class from Finley,”.
James was pleased with his performance, but he knows there is still a long way to go in his career development.
Under the guidance of top trainer Mark Tibbs at the Origin gym in Rainham, and training alongside talents Johnny Fisher, John Hedges and Tommy Fletcher and Joel Bartell to name a few, James is in perfect company as he continues his journey in the professional ranks.
James added, “I’m having a week on holiday in Spain but I’ll still be ticking over and training and then I’ll be back on it getting ready for the next fight,”
“I’m really looking forward to it, Brentwood’s not too far from home and I’ll have a good crowd coming to support me again as we continue on the journey.”
Richard Maynard, CEO of Strike Sports Management, who co-manages James with Tibbs, added: “From his last fight against Dirse in April to Saturday night against Eboigbe there has been an increased maturity in his performance and that is down to him enjoying his boxing.
"He’s got a top team led by Mark and he’s training in the gym alongside quality talents and it’s really lifting him.
"It’s still early days and we’re only three pro fights in and there is a long way to go, but he’s is definitely one to watch out for.”
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