steve689 wrote:How did Hare look? Due to all the crap after the main event we were denied highlights, i know he got dropped but it seemed flash to me, he looked more embarrassed than hurt.
Boxing: Hare has to work hard Oct 20 2003
By Doug Thomson, The Huddersfield Daily Examiner
HUDDERSFIELD star James Hare stretched his unbeaten record to 29 bouts and retained his World Boxing Foundation welterweight crown.
But the 27-year-old from Berry Brow was made to work hard for his 10th-round stoppage win over durable Hungarian Jozsef Matolsci at the Manchester Evening News Arena on Saturday evening.
Hare even found himself on the floor in the fourth - it was only the second time in his career he had taken a count - although it had more to do with a loss of footing than a Matolsci shot which caught both the upper chest and neck.
The Hungarian had himself been down earlier in the round as Hare found the target with a left uppercut.
The Huddersfield man took the first four comfortably and had the edge throughout, although he had to deal with some heavy-handed assaults.
Matolsci was cut on the inside of his right eyebrow, while Hare had a swollen left eye by the time he clinched victory 79 seconds into the 10th, with the referee stepping down after the Hungarian hit the floor for the second time.
"If I'm honest, I left some of my sharpness in the gym," admitted Hare.
"That's one of the lessons I can learn from this fight.
"It wasn't exactly the polished performance I was looking for, but I felt I had the edge throughout the fight, and I know I hurt him with a solid shot when he went down in the fourth.
"Credit to Matolsci, because he was tough and rugged with a very durable chin, but at the end of the day a win is a win and the title's still mine.
"I suppose it's a reflection of the standard I've set myself that I'm picking holes in my performance, but as you climb the ladder, the fights are sure to get tougher and I have to be ready to deal with that."
