DYLAN Cheema must start again after his bid to bag a first pro championship ended in defeat.
After 10 furious rounds, the Coventry hope dropped a 97-93 decision to rugged veteran Kirk Stevens for the vacant Midlands super-lightweight belt. That made Kirk a double area titleholder at the weight.
The pair served up an absolute cracker, with Stevens finding an extra gear after a head-clash gashed Cheema’s left eye in the eighth.
The right man had his hand raised at Northampton’s Mercure Hotel, and 29-year-old Cheema sportingly admitted it.
He told Paul Webb, PR man for promoters BCB: “It was a close fight, but I do think Kirk did enough in the end. I was doing well till a clash of heads, but I live to fight another day.”
For Cheema, who enjoyed big support for the Saturday night fight, it’s another setback in what has been something of a winding professional journey.
He appeared destined for big things after winning the high-profile Boxxer tournament in 2022, then suffered two surprise losses. He took a two-year break from the sport, got married, became a father, then returned under the BCB Promotions banner last October and peeled off two wins.
Now, in his first foray over the championship distance, Cheema has again tasted defeat – his third in 14 bouts.
It is not the end of the road. Even before the contest, manager PJ Rowson stressed the fighter was a natural lightweight and would return to the division regardless of the result against Telford southpaw Stevens.
There would also be plenty of interest in a return with Kirk.
PJ said: “It was a contender for fight of the year, it was a real humdinger. I didn’t agree with the referee with the wideness of the scores. It was very, very close and could’ve been called a draw.
“I wouldn’t have been surprised if Dylan got the decision, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Stevens got the decision – the only thing that surprised me was the four rounds difference.
The right man won by one or two rounds.”
For 36-year-old Stevens, victory added another remarkable chapter to a true Cinderella story. Kirk lost his first two bouts, then entered the high-profile “Last Man Standing” tournament: a competition that pitted eight pros against each other in four-round bouts, the winner fighting three times on the night.
He took the high-risk job at short notice, was the oldest in the challenge, the only one with losses on his record – and won the whole caboodle.
In 2023, he faced Potteries warrior Jamie Stewart in Stoke and came home with the Midlands super-lightweight belt. In a rematch three months later, he again beat Stewart, again in Stoke. Overall, he’s won eight of 14 (one draw).
The majority felt Cheema would be too young, fast and slick for Kirk. They underestimated the Wrekin Rocky’s heart and toughness.
After having the belt strapped round his waist, the new champ said: “I want to see how far I can go. I’ve had three Midlands title fights now, and all I want to do is secure a good future for my family.”
In his first fight since a stoppage loss to hot prospect Steven Cairns, Stevens knew this was a must-win, and he looked confident making his way to the ring.
But it was the younger man who made the better start, landing some spiteful body shots as Stevens looked to counter with left hands. As often is the way when a southpaw faces an orthodox fighter, the two were getting their feet tangled up, but referee Ryan Churchill did well to keep the action flowing throughout.
The rounds flew by at a breathless pace, with both having plenty of success. The fight took a dramatic turn in the eighth with a sickening head clash leaving a wide cut over Cheema’s eye.
It was ruled a punch, but there seemed to be unintended contact with Kirk’s forehead.
Cheema fought on bravely with the blood running down his face, but Stevens sensed an opportunity to take over the fight and was dominant down the stretch, closing out the championship rounds with more of those heavy southpaw left hands.
PJ said: “It was to-and-from. There was an horrendous clash of heads, it was a mouth that opened above Dylan’s left eye. It was a real bad cut.
“Everyone saw it was a clash of heads except the referee. I thought Stevens was starting to flag and Dylan would come on strong. But the clash of heads spurred Stevens on, it lifted him and pushed him forward.
“Dylan said afterwards, ‘I couldn’t have given any more, lads’ and Stevens was a fantastic sporting man. It was a proper old fight with true boxing spirit.”
The manager is already planning for the future, adding: “Time, heal and then come back. I’ve applied for Dylan to face the winner of the (Midlands) lightweight title fight.”
