Boxing: Eastman seals chance to reclaim former title

Two with gold beards won fights of contrasting drama during a night of extremes at the Goresbrook Leisure Centre in front of a crowd that filled the seats from the first punch at 7pm until the final referee's intervention at 10.50pm.

In Saturday's first fight at the east London venue, Howard Eastman, who was once a homeless derelict, easily beat Hussain Osman to guarantee a fight against the Frenchman Erland Betare in Nottingham on 28 January for the vacant European middleweight title.

Eastman, who had to relinquish that crown last year when he fought for a world title, took his time to find holes in Osman's defence skilfully and after four rounds of precise boxing Osman's temporary cornerman, Dean Powell, wisely pulled him out. Eastman was just starting to find his range, just starting to step the crucial inch closer and Osman was just starting to feel the effects of his punches.

It is possible that Eastman suffered more during the final fight when he watched his friend David Walker risk his high British rating as a welterweight with a welcome, but in many ways unnecessary, final eliminator for the domestic title.

Walker entered the ring unbeaten in his 16 fights and his promoter, Mick Hennessy, was ready and willing to make a bid for a British title fight against Belfast's Neil Sinclair. First, Walker had to overcome Birmingham's Jimmy Vincent, who is the kind of fighter that makes covering boxing such a pleasure.

There is an expression in boxing that is applied to journeymen and losers. It is said of them that their status is "have boots, will travel". Vincent often never bothers about the boots and, in 15 years as a professional, he has lost 16 fights and, before Saturday's fight, he had won 20. He has accepted so many fights at less than 48 hours' notice that he has forgotten the exact number and he often fights at over 12 stone.

On Saturday, Vincent was 10st 6lb and he entered the ring after six weeks of preparation. But for three rounds he was forced to retreat and at the start of the fourth round he was three rounds behind. In the fourth, the 34-year-old, who had over 100 members of his family at ringside screaming, dropped Walker and set in motion a dramatic turn in a career that never looked like reaching any heights.

Eastman was at the apron's edge pleading with Walker to move and jab, but in the ring, when punches start to dominate the senses, desperate men do stupid things. In rounds five, six and seven, Walker stopped thinking and became involved in a scrap with Vincent. It ended in round eight with Walker on his feet but out of his head, and an exhausted Vincent on his knees celebrating.

Meanwhile, it looks increasingly likely that Joe Calzaghe and Ricky Hatton will fight in America next year, according to executives at Showtime, the cable company that has screened many of their fights. Both Britons have defences planned before May and it is possible that one or both will take place in the United States.