TakalooTriumphs

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Eamonn Magee's miracle boxing comeback petered out in his home city of Belfast tonight when he lost his WBU welterweight title by majority points decision to Takaloo.

 

Magee's negativity ultimately cost him dear as the Margate man reignited his career by a close 116-112 115-113 114-114 points verdict.

 

It was not what the sold-out King's Hall audience had planned as they turned up in their droves to support Magee, who was told he would never box again after an horrific street attack two years ago.

 

Less than one year later Magee was back in the ring for a quick win over Allan Vester - setting up this big chance to put himself back in the major world title picture.

 

To their great credit the home fans warmly applauded the new champion who started a big underdog after boiling down from light-middleweight and having to strip to make the weight for the bout.

 

Magee himself had plenty to prove after believing he had made the wrong decision to move up and miss out on a wide-open light-welter division and a possible rematch with Ricky Hatton.

 

But his desire to prove a point backfired in a grim and unambitious contest which spectacularly failed to live up to its pre-fight hype as a clash between two big punchers.

 

Wary Takaloo was equally at fault in a contest which started with the unusual spectacle of referee Dave Parris warning the two fighters after neither threw a punch in the opening 20 seconds.

 

Takaloo's caution was perhaps understandable given his crushing knockout loss to Wayne Alexander in September 2004, since when he had fought just twice.

 

Coming forward has always been anathema to Magee, who once again was content to wait for the crucial counter-punching blow, landing the best punch of round two with an overhand left.

 

A few frustrated boos began to ring out around the King's Hall midway through the fifth round and the bout reached the halfway stage with Magee arguably shading it on accuracy alone.

 

Each man had their moments in the equally frustrating second half of the fight, Takaloo having more success with two right hands in round seven and Magee responding by dominating the eighth.

 

By that stage it was abundantly clear the spark had gone out of both men who grappled to the final bell with Takaloo's willingness to set the pace deservedly shading him the verdict.

 

Weaker men than the 34-year-old Magee would now have nowhere to go in their careers - but battles against adversity are nothing new to the rock-hard man from the Ardoyne.

 

Having also survived an IRA bullet and being jabbed in the throat with a broken bottle, few would dare bet against Magee embarking on another successful comeback bid.

 

Takaloo said: "I proved tonight that you cannot write me off because I keep coming back and in there tonight against a good fighter I felt stronger than ever.

 

"I wish I had moved up to welterweight years ago because it feels so good and now I am convinced you will see the better of me and I will go on to win a major world title.

 

"Magee did not come to fight in there and it was just a case of trying to hunt him down but I managed to do it and I am so happy. They said it was all over but my future is definitely bright."

[Boney Crisp]

Well done Takaloo but ITV let me down again as the fight was meant to be live.

[jkmaskell]

Great news....pity the good news couldnt translate onto BBC1!

[seasidesteve]

and what a bad loser that bloke was he got hammered and though hed won didnt even want to shake hands

[Boney Crisp]

Tell me about it SSS. He wants a re-match in Margate in 2 months, but where would it be played? I dont think it will be at Winter Gardens as it is too small, I think it will be either quex park, Dreamland or possibly Hartsdown Park if you throw in temporary seating and it the club will get a nice sum of money from it.

[Gate Watcher]

Probably be Bethnal Green though wouldnt it? Would be great to have it at Hartsdown though.

[Jeff Trice]

Unless something's changed in the past few years no professional fights can be staged in Margate as we're too far from a neurological unit - ie in case of a brain injury.

[TonyM]

Your right Jeff,thats why we have so many brain dead people living down here.LOL.