THE sangria probably flowed after former Spanish amateur champ Jerry-Lee Palmer notched-up her second pro win at the Holiday Inn, Birmingham Airport, on Sunday afternoon.
Light-middleweight Palmer and Sheffield southpaw Claire Watts engaged in a free swinging four rounder, with Jerry-Lee taking a 39-37 decision.
Peter McCormack probably gave Watts the last, when she really let out all the stops and swapped punches down the stretch.
Frankly, I was astonished by the level of support for Palmer, a 30-year-old raised in Tenerife before returning to the borough of her birth, Solihull, to pursue a professional career.
I was surprised by how many had flown from the sunshine island – parents Andy and Nicola among them – to witness the Paella Powerhouse in action. The faithful also included colleagues from Jerry-Lee’s army days and members of Solihull’s Combat Sports Centre where she is trained by Paul Gilmore.
The shouts from female fans were near deafening and Palmer, managed by Matt Macklin, is very well supported.
What the faithful got was a highly entertaining battle, if a little short on technique and finesse. Jerry-Lee (10st 13lbs) at times rushed her work, sometimes near running into the fray. The subtlety needed at top level has yet to surface.
Watts (10st 13lbs), who lost for the third time on the spin, was more than happy to engage. It was wild and woolly.
Importantly, the damaged nose that bled so freely in Palmer’s debut did not pump claret on this occasion.
Palmer, taller of the two, pushed forward behind her jab in the first, only for Watts to punch back.
That was pretty much the pattern throughout.
At times the exchanges were scrappy in the second, although Jerry-Lee did find space for a solid right. She had her best moments in the third, pushing forward and landing left hooks.
Both really went for it in the last, blazing away to head and body. Always the aggressor, Palmer connected with another heavy hook which sparked Watts into action.
And it was Watts who had the betters of the free-swinging exchanges in the final seconds.
Once Palmer’s hand was raised, a Tenerife style party erupted. It may have been very wet and windy outside, but a Mediterranean holiday was happening inside the Holiday Inn.
