Smoking Joe’s Nathan Bendon scored a stunning knockout victory on the road on the undercard of the Appleyard, Fields fight at Barnsley’s Metrodome (23,11,19). Bendon took on local unbeaten fighter Levi Kinsiona (6-0) over 8 rounds in the Welterweight division in a cracking contest.
The first four rounds were close with both fighters having joy and getting shots off, at the end of the forth I had the fight even. In round five Kinsiona worked well on the back foot picking some nice shots off, Bendon closed the gap well and drew Kinsiona into a scrap which suited Bendon style who then banged in some great left and right hooks to finish the round strong. Kinsiona got back to boxing in the sixth and was now throwing some heavy shots which were connecting clean. Bendon battle hard like the warrior he is and got some nice shots off but this was Kinsiona round.
Round seven started with Kinsiona boxing well and looking in complete control, Bendon who was looking tired continued to press and pressure and was still making a fight of it. Bendon then came up with the finisher, he caught Kinsiona with a lovely left hook to the body which hurt him, as Kinsiona tried to move in to get some pay back Bendon then caught him with a cracking left hook to the head which put him down. Kinsiona managed to get to his feet but did not seem to have control of his legs as he wobbled around, the ref did the right thing by stopping the fight.
Dexter’s Thoughts
What a result for Bendon he has scored a great knockout victory against a very much fancied home fighter. Myself going into the seventh round I had it even but if you were listening to the live stream they were all thinking Bendon could possibly get stopped. Bendon only had a few weeks notice for this fight but as he fights out of Fightden’s sister gym Smoking Joe’s I know first hand how hard he trains. At times Bendon was getting out boxed but his pressure fighting style and never give up attitude shone through as he drew Kinsiona into his fight. The knockout shot was a cracker but I think it stated from a body shot a few seconds before. It visibly hurt Kinsiona and he went looking for pay back and was given a cracking left hook to the jaw with change to spare. I’m sure he will learn form this defeat and come back stronger, as for Nathan, if he continues in this vane I can see him going the same way as his stable mate Ben Fields.