Time to curb your enthusiasm

ARON Bowen must learn to curb his enthusiasm for a dogfight after tasting defeat for the first time in his first professional title test.

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Shorts and Tom Cowling during their BBBC Midlands Area Middleweight Title fight at NEC Arena

On Saturday's huge Matchroom show at Birmingham's BP Pulse Live arena, the Coventry middle engaged in a thrilling 10 round war for the vacant Midlands title: a true classic with dramatic ebbs and flows of fortune. This draining battle may well be named Midlands fight of the year in the forthcoming Board of Control awards.

And, in an upset, it was the more experienced Newark, Nottingham-shire, boxer who had his hand raised.

The decision was split - 96-93 Bowen, 95-94 (twice) for Cowling, but I had no doubt the right man won, although it was mighty close.

And I'll admit to getting this one badly wrong, tipping 26-year-old Bowen to score a stoppage.