Morris boxes clever to keep Wako at bay

Lewis Morris with Richard Carter after Sunday’s whitewash victory

LEWIS Morris, one of the game’s true gents, kept the ring rust at bay with a brisk four round workout on Scott Murray’s Sunday afternoon show.

At the Premier Suite, Cannock, Morris played it by the textbook to gain wide victory over York’s Mohammed Wako. Referee Peter McCormack scored 40-36.

Wako came with ambition, pinned everything on swinging right hands, but was kept at bay by tall Morris’ left lead, often doubled and trebled.

He left the best until last, forcing the Walsall featherweight back in the fourth without really troubling Morris. I felt Wako’s sheer endeavour may have earned him a share of that final round, although the correct, measured boxing always came from Lewis, who fights out of Richard Carter’s buoyant Wolverhampton gym. By then, the bout was in the bag.

In all, 23-year-old Morris (9st 4lbs) can look back on a pleasing afternoon’s work – his first appearance since tasting big time boxing seven months ago. Last October, he earned applause for giving Joe McGrail a hard fight on a major Matchroom show in Manchester.

Morris, a new father, is desperate to again step on the big stage, but first the former Midlands title challenger has a July 4 date on a show staged by his promoters, BCB.

“I think everyone knows I’m better than Midlands level,” Morris told me. “I lost a Midlands title fight (to fellow BCB boxer Ryan Griffiths), but felt I won it – a lot of people felt I won it. I believe I’m an English title level fighter.”

The fight Morris wants is with WBC youth world champ Uman Khan who outpointed rival Griffiths in January. But a number of cancelled big fight dates has shown Lewis that, in boxing, you seldom get what you want when you want it.

Morris insists he’s a man who has spent his 12 bout career (three losses) at the wrong weight. He added: “It’s a bit crazy, but I’m a super-bantamweight who has never fought at the weight.”

Against Wako (9st 4lbs), Morris used straight punches against an opponent who slung rights as if opening the bowling for a village cricket team.

“I’m happy with the win,” Lewis said. “Maybe I could’ve let my hands go a little bit more – I could see he was tiring. He was tough.”