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Boxing

Off-colour Eastman takes title

21/04/2007

Howard Eastman overcame Evans Ashira on points to regain the Commonwealth middleweight title, despite putting in a below-par performance.

The 36-year-old "Battersea Bomber" beat the Danish fighter on points on the scorecards of all three judges to take the vacant belt.

It was only Ashira's third defeat in his career but the result was not without controversy.

Ashira was annoyed at the Englishman's tactics, which involved a great deal of holding, as he tread a fine line with the referee throughout the match.

However, the fellow veteran said he thought Eastman had overstepped the mark on more than one occasion and that the official should have done more to ensure a fair fight.

"I came here for a fight, not to wrestle," 37-year-old Ashira said. "It should have been a clean fight but the referee did little to stop him holding and made it an awkward bout."

Some sections of the crowd in Dudley were visibly frustrated by Eastman's conservative approach, although the London-born boxer defended his tactics which scooped him only his second victory in five fights.

"He is a dangerous guy and I had to tie him up," Eastman said.

"I was trying to frustrate him as much as I possibly could and it worked. But it was a different sort of fight than what I am used to.

"My corner helped me through and this fight proved you need a really good team around you. They guided me to the victory."

Eastman adds the Commonwealth title to his British crown, which he won in December last year after beating Richard Williams in the 12th round in Bethnal Green.

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