Melvin: Time to give Ebonie the respect she richly deserves

Cotton…”if she’s a sideshow, she’s not a bad sideshow” - trainer Melvin

THE weigh-in was predictable, with Ebonie Cotton stepping onto scales in daring lingerie. The performance and result were not.

On MVP’s major Saturday night show in Birmingham Cotton drew with Shannon Courtenay, the BP Pulse Live arena six rounder scored 57-57.

That underlines the fact the raw novice can fight and possesses real grit. The public have been a little slow to realise that because of the glamour: Courtenay didn’t try to hide her disdain over Cotton’s scanty weigh-in wardrobe.

The astonishing statistics underline Ebonie’s potential. She turned pro with no real amateur experience, yet has faced two world champions – former WBA bantam boss Courtenay and Australia’s IBF bantam ruler Ebanie Bridges – in her first five contests. There’s an argument she won both of them: the Bridges points loss was highly contentious.

There’s an argument she’s faced three global titleholders if you include the cage fighting achievements of Molly McCann who Cotton lost to in her second bout.

Yet there are those who see what Cotton brings to the table as something of a sideshow. That’s the dilemma: the looks, the curves and risqué outfits overshadow the reality that Cotton can fight and is improving rapidly.

The Rowley Regis 32-year-old’s performance against Courtenay, who has lost only three of 15, revealed the rapid strides made.

“If it’s a sideshow it’s one hell of sideshow,” said trainer Malcolm Melvin. “A sideshow doesn’t pull off what she’s done. Sideshows don’t get noticed because they can’t back it up. If she’s a sideshow she’s not a bad sideshow, is she?”

The former British title challenger fiercely defends Cotton’s image – an image that, I have no doubt, has earned her bouts on televised arena shows: “It’s a different world, you have to have a bit of a niche, people are always looking for that quirk – if you can sell yourself you’re going to do well.

“Years ago it wouldn’t have gone down well with us dinosaurs (at close to 70, I can’t argue with the description), but that’s the way boxing is. You have to sell yourself – the days of the stiff upper lip have gone.”

Melvin bristles at Courtenay’s claims she was robbed.

“If you are fighting a novice and a novice beats you, you should be embarrassed. I had it 4-2 to us,” he said. “I think Ebonie outboxed her, in the clinches she was the one doing the work. Listen, when you fight an MVP fighter you know you’re up against it, you’re two rounds down from the start.

Promoters MVP announce the six round decision

“She’s tough as anything and never wavered, she has heart and desire – if you have that heart you’re in with a chance. I thought her jab was immense, she caught Courtenay with right hands, she was comfortable with her. There wouldn’t have been a fight if it wasn’t for Ebonie going forward.

“These are girls who are supposed to be levels above her, she has come on a bundle. She held her feet better, her head movement was better. I’m really, really proud of Ebonie – she wants to learn, she puts the work in, she listens in the corner.”

He added: “Ebonie has had a tough baptism, the stats and facts don’t lie. She’s a raw novice, if you look at her pedigree, these girls should be wiping the floor with her, they should be embarrassed. 

“In the gym, she’s doing things I didn’t think she could do – and the things she’s now doing well she’s going to do better. She wants to get better, she always asks for your opinion. I think she could be a really, really good fighter and a dangerous fighter.

“People need to put a little more respect on her name. She’s only going to get better.”