The BBBofC Central Area Super Light champ, Jimmy Joe Flint, from the grand old city of Doncaster, UK, danced, weaved, and ultimately, outclassed Campbell Hatton, the pride of Manchester, UK, whose record was almost a mirror image at 14-1, with 5 knockouts, weighing in at a hair under 140 pounds, in a bout that was, frankly, more sizzle than steak.
From the get-go, it was clear there was no love lost between these two, as they skipped the pleasantries and got straight down to business. Flint, ever the aggressor, didn’t let up from rounds two to four, with Hatton barely clinging on, perhaps riding more on reputation than skill.
Hatton did find a bit of wind in the fifth, puffing up his chest and taking the round, likely more out of Flint’s pity than prowess. The drama peaked in the seventh when Flint, perhaps out of sheer excitement, got a cut over his left eye thanks to a head clash. Not to be outdone, the eighth saw Flint, bloodied but unbowed, showing off his body work and leaving Hatton looking like he wished he’d stayed in Manchester.
The ninth round was a bit of a soap opera, with both fighters having their “Oh, dear” moments, Flint’s left eye now looking like a prop from a horror movie. But it was the grand finale, the tenth round, where Flint, with the energy of a man who’s just realized he’s late for the last train home, out-hustled, out-muscled, and outworked a visibly spent Hatton.
Referee Reece Carter, with a front-row seat to this dramatic telenovela, had the final say with scores that told the story: 98-92, 97-94, 97-95, and a rather charitable 96-94 for Hatton. One can’t help but ponder, as Hatton huffed and puffed, whether the “Hurricane” was more of a gentle breeze this evening.