Beech to gain experience in narrow defeat

In the first boxing event since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, it was an all West Midlands affair at the top of the bill as Lichfield’s Foster defended his belts against Beech at the BT Sports studios in Stratford, London.

Both men came into the bout with undefeated records and bo

xing’s big comeback to British screens finished with a final round where Foster landed some shots with a statement of intent to keep hold of his belts. Beech was forced into the ropes after a devastating body shot before delivering a left hook as the fight came to a close.

Despite a brave performance from Beech, Foster retained his belts winning 117-111, twice, and 116-113 on the scorecards, handing Beech the first loss of his professional career.

For Beech, it was his first time fighting at the British level and although he walked away with a loss, and with some heavy bruising to his left eye and face, the Walsall fighter is marking it up as experience.

“I’m just a bit gutted that I couldn’t get the win, I felt like going into the 10th round it was even,” he said. “I tried to set the pace and push it on Brad, and that’s where I went wrong in the fight. It’s all good experience for me, I’m only 23.

“I’ll definitely be back, especially after a decent fight like that with Brad. He’ll probably move on to better things now and hopefully I can get another crack.

“I’m gutted the crowd couldn’t be with me, I’d have sold 500 tickets easily, 1,000 with Brad as we both have big followings in the Midlands. I’ll look back on this in a a few years time and know I headlined a BT Sport show and be proud of myself, but right now I’m gutted.

“The score was definitely a bit wide, it was all down to the last three rounds.

“When I tried to force it, it all went wrong, but if the fans are impressed then that’s another big tick.

“I’ve taken the fight on five weeks notice. With a bit more notice and time I could have got to him, definitely.

“There’s great respect between us, no animosity, I just get on with it and let my boxing do the talking.”

Although 22-year-old Foster successfully defended his belts for the fourth time, and kept his undefeated record in tact, he felt that his performance was below-par.

“I don’t feel I woke up until the seventh round,” Foster said. “I didn’t think I was that good until the seventh onwards. That was when I was getting my distance right.

“I’m a bit tired, I didn’t feel the best in there, but I got the win and took these belts home and that’s the main thing.

“This was one of my goals coming into boxing and it means the world.

“If all the fans had been here it would have been a cracking event.

“I do feel tired. With this lockdown, all I have been doing is working and training, there is no play. You have to have a rest to go out with your mates, go have a dance, a boogie and I haven’t been able to do that.

“I don’t drink, so I just go out for a dance, a little two–step and I can’t wait to do that with my boys.”