Dean Mills injury adds to Plymouth boxing gym Cosmo's bleak weekend
AN INJURY has wrecked Dean Mills' upcoming title shot, adding to Cosmo Gym's gloom following their boxers' winless weekend in Wales.
Mills had been scheduled to fight Adam Dingsdale for the British Masters lightweight championship in Grays on Saturday.
But Mills has been forced to pull out of the Essex 10-rounder after tearing tendons in his shoulder in training.
To compound Cosmo's cruel luck, their three fighters all lost their contests – two inside the distance – in Swansea at the weekend.
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David 'Dezzy' O'Connor was stopped in the second round by the 'impressive and under-rated' Chris Jenkins.
Debutant Ben Zacharkiw was guilty of naivety and paid the price being dispatched by Greg Pickin in the first round.
Cosmo's third hopeful, super-middleweight Angelo Crowe went the distance with Joe Duffy, but ran out of puff in the final half of the four-rounder.
O'Connor's stoppage should not affect his British Masters Championship light middleweight challenge against Tyler Goodjohn on April 5, as the popular city fighter is within the statutory 28-day recovery period.
But for the experienced Rocky Christian, the four-strong slapping from Lady Luck has taken even the veteran matchmaker by surprise.
Christian had been confident Mills would continue his fine form and beat Dingsdale, and claim the British Masters lightweight crown.
But, said Christian, that bout is now 'out of the window' and the club's coaches will have to hope the fighter's injury is short-term.
Christian said: "You get used to setbacks in sport and boxing's full of them, but the last few days has exceeded its limit.
"The trip to Swansea was very disappointing. All three boys went down to defeats and then I heard Dean's shoulder was damaged and his title fight was off.
"We'll take it on the chin and come back stronger and wiser and, hopefully, Dean's injury is not too bad and the lads are not downhearted."
O'Connor was wobbled in the first round and then dropped twice in the second by hard-hitting Jenkins, whose spare frame belied his punch power.
"Dezzy's a warrior and as fit as a butcher's dog, but this lad (Jenkins) is a bit special and I predict will do well in his career," said Christian.
"I think first-fight nerves got to Ben in a first round that was fast and furious.
"Angelo held his own for the first two rounds, but then seemed to lose his way against a guy I think he will beat on another day.
"So, not a great few days for us at the gym, but, like I said, we'll come back fighting."
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