No let-up from Tyler on return

THE MIDLAND BOXING BEAT WITH MIKE LOCKLEY

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Tyler Denny (right) on his way to a points victory over Grant Dennis. PIC: MANJIT NAROTRA/BCB

THINK it’s time to assess what we've got with Tyler Denny and what the southpaw has achieved from a starting point of limited expectation.

Southpaw Denny, from Rowley Regis, is a consummate pro - boxing’s a business: no lapses, no corners cut. He's a craftsman, adept at using feints to close distance.

That dedication and skill set has kept him fresh and free from wear and tear at the age of 34.

Denny’s ability has seen him rise from the dim lights of small hall boxing to the glare of arena shows where he registered upset after upset before capturing first the English, then European middleweight titles.

After a couple of years on major televised bills, Denny returned to his roots last Friday and underlined the gulf between prospect and major prize winners on BCB’s Dudley Town Hall bill.

Opponent Grant Dennis, from Islington, is a good, solid performer who has faced top men and beaten some of them, but, at the age of 42, he is fading. He was second best throughout the eight-rounder, referee Ryan Churchill scoring a shutout 80-72 for Denny.

Dennis still has more than enough to make things messy, ugly, difficult and even dangerous for hungry opponents, prospects and pretenders.

Yet Denny (11st 8lbs), roared on by an army of fans, showed what it takes to put on a crowd-pleasing, punishing performance against him, rather than getting sucked into a messy, hard-to-watch eight-rounder.