Magee takes a step closer

Brian Magee, the southpaw middleweight from Belfast who fights for Ireland, moved to within one fight of a medal when he outpointed Bertrand Tetsia of the Cameroon in the Alexander Memorial Coliseum yesterday.

Magee made a cagey start against a potentially dangerous opponent. Tetsia held a 2-1 advantage after the first round and then went 3-1 up but Magee began to produce a more positive performance in the closing stages of the second round and was level 5-5 at the bell.

In the third round the southpaw, again watched by his father Francis, stepped up a gear and went ahead for the first time within the opening ten seconds of the third round.

But the Cameroon fighter's swinging right was always a dangerous punch and Magee had to be on his guard against the Cameroon. Magee picked his punches well to win 11 points to six in a style which augurs well for a medal.