IT was to be one of those shows where the roof very nearly came off, writes Peter Mann.

At Temple Park, South Shields, both Anthony Nelson and Peter Cope walked away with the gold on Sunday when winning the English super flyweight and Northern Area lightweight straps respectively.

With all bouts going their respective distances it would be, of all fights, Nelson’s that would bring the crowd to their feet. It had been built up as being a clash that would not disappoint, and it didn’t. It’s just a shame someone had to lose and, in this case, it was Leeds’ battle-hardened Terry Broadbent.

Broadbent gave it his all but Nelson gave that little more as both fighters mirrored each other from the first to the last of this ten round classic. Eventually it would be the judges providing the final call, Nelson claiming a unanimous decision and the English title.

For Cope it was, pretty much, a case of ‘after the lord mayor’s’ show’ as his Area clash with Middlesbrough’s John Green also went the distance. The Teessider never really gave the English super featherweight challenger an opportunity to get into his stride opting to muscle his opponent on occasion.

Cope managed to hold on and claim a very narrow, 96-95 victory and now looks forward to facing Andrew Townend later next month as he builds up to a potential return English shot.

The undercard, which was stacked with regional talent, would see points successes for the home fighters across the board, some quite narrow.

Both Mal Gates and Gus Robinson’s gyms would see victories for all their fighters making up six of the nine on the card; Lee Mould and Tom Whitfield for the former and Daniel Cope and Anthony Hardy for the latter racked up the wins.

Tynesider James Barnes made a successful debut at heavyweight, twice putting his opponent on the canvas before claiming a points win and there was also run of the mill success for Tommy Ward and Lyndon Watt against opponents that looked decidedly bigger than they would have liked.

Watt was taken the distance by European Jan Balog, who actually inflicted a standing eight count on the Darlington-based fighter before Watt saw it home. Afterwards he said: “I’m out to prove a point and to fight people that are good.

“I’ve got no amateur experience at all so we are going to take it step by step. I could have stopped my opponent twice if I’m honest but the referee was having none of it.”

Then there was Tommy Ward, younger brother of Martin Ward, and who, instead of being the chief support as was hoped ended up opening the show after expected opponent, experienced Esham Pickering, withdrew.

After his tenth victory the unbeaten Ward said: “I am devastated that I wasn’t facing Pickering. I only found out on the morning of the fight but all I can do is just box and win, which is what I am doing. The lad I faced (Jamie Quinn) was a bigger and powerful fighter than me but I proved I can hold my own and now want to move on to the eight round bouts and title offerings.”

The show, presented by Tyneside promoter Steve Wraith, was his ninth offering over the past two years and, the Bradley Saunders homecoming withstanding, was his best offering to date.