BURNTWOOD’S Troy Coleman was forced to settle for a controversial draw against Robbie Chapman in Birmingham.
Buoyed by a recent points victory over Tom Cowling that secured him the Midlands Area Middleweight title, the local fighter was back in action at Eastside Rooms – his second outing under the Black Country Boxing banner.
The 29-year-old former WBC Asian Continental champion started with intent, immediately cutting off the ring and forcing his defensive opponent into the corner.
Demonstrating sharp reflexes, Coleman deftly avoided Chapman’s early attempts to land significant headshots.
The opening round set the tone for the contest, with the Burntwood ace consistently applying pressure and dictating the pace.
As the second round commenced, Coleman continued his aggressive approach, piercing Chapman’s high guard with crisp punches. The energy of the local crowd seemed to fuel his momentum, unsettling the Londoner who increasingly found himself retreating and using the ring to escape danger.
However, as the round progressed, Chapman rallied, forcing Coleman onto the back foot and reversing the dynamic of the fight.
Coleman reasserted his dominance in the third round, holding the centre of the ring and keeping his opponent the perimeter and as the bell sounded, the Londoner was backed into the corner.
In the final round, Chapman attempted to rally, but his efforts only amplified the support for the Burntwood boxer.
Despite Coleman’s apparent control, the fight concluded with a contentious 38-38 draw – a decision that left both the crowd and Coleman himself in disbelief.
He said:
“I’m obviously in shock. I was just trying to box to orders.
“I got told that bigger possibilities will come with defending my title down the line, so it was just a case of doing nothing stupid and keep behind the jab.
“If I could change anything, it would definitely just be to go and put the pressure on for the whole four rounds.
“I could have been busier.”
Coleman admitted his opponent’s defensive style had proven a challenge.
“It shocked me how negative he was. From round one, I was just a bit frustrated in there because I thrive off people actually coming at me. It’s my style.
“I obviously wanted to push on more, but you don’t want to get any silly cuts or any silly injuries from a clash of heads or little things like that.”
Despite the draw, Coleman admitted he still has his sights firmly set on climbing towards a British title shot in the future.
“I’m frustrated. This is my career, this is what I train for and you get annoyed with the sport. You see it happen all the time with results, but when it happens to you it hurts.
“At the same time, it’s one of those things. I’m not going to quit or start getting all depressed over it.
“I’ll just get in the gym and, when I’ve got a fighter who comes at me and comes to fight, I’ll just show what I’m about.”