DUANE Parker has been backed by Jonjo Finnegan to emulate his avenging of a shock defeat in Birmingham, after his unbeaten record was ended at the Holiday Inn.
Finnegan had been stopped in five rounds by Elvis Dube at the same venue in February, but the British Masters super-middleweight champion from Newhall boxed his way to a six-round points win in the rematch to prove he still has a fighting future.
Manager Errol Johnson could pair Finnegan and Dube for the vacant Midlands Area 12 stones belt in Burton in September, while Parker has to rebuild after his 13-fight unbeaten record came to an end.
He appeared to be taking charge of his eight-round fight with Richard Troupe, who had a five-pound weight advantage, but was floored and stopped in the fourth.
Finnegan said: “I know it’s a dark place when you’ve beaten like that because it happened to me.
“Duane has to pick himself up just like I did. That’s what fighters do.” Referee Terry O’Connor had Finnegan beating Dube by a 58-57 scoreline, but the margin of victory looked wider than that.
Derby power puncher Dube had improved from their first fight he was better on his feet and threw more punches — but so had Finnegan and he kept the fight at long range to pile up the points.
“I felt 20 times better in there,” said the 31-year-old.
“I think I showed a lot of character to get in there with Dube after he knocked me out last time.
“I could have had an easier fight and people were telling me I shouldn’t have had the rematch straight away.
“But I’ve never turned a fight down and I think I showed what I can do. I worked hard and got it right.
“I had a game plan and concentrated 100 per cent. I think I would have quit if Elvis had beaten me again, but I showed there’s plenty left in the tank.”
For most of the fight, Finnegan jabbed and moved, while Dube followed, looking to block punches and step in to land his haymakers.
When Finnegan did stand and trade, he blocked well and replied with neat three and four-punch combinations .
Finnegan steadied Dube with a solid left hook late in the fourth, jabbed smartly throughout the fifth and then held off a strong finish to claim the points decision.
Finnegan then took his place in the dinner audience to watch Parker’s shock loss.
The 23 year-old from Woodville felt he lost the fight on the scales. Having drained himself to make the 11-stone limit, Parker then saw Troupe weigh in at 11st 5lbs.
Troupe looked to make the most of his weight advantage as he put maximum power into his right-hand swipes.
Parker was on the floor just before the bell to end the second, but regrouped to win the third behind his jab and was on course to win the fourth as well until heavy-handed Troupe detonated a left hook that dropped him.
Referee Terry O’Connor immediately waved the fight off and Parker said: “I thought I could have carried on. I was getting on top and then he caught me a with a good shot.
“I would beat him if we both weighed the same. I drained myself to make 11 stones and ended up giving away a lot of weight.
“I want to get back in the gym as soon as possible and then get back in the ring.”
