Nottingham’s ‘Fighting Fireman’ Dean Gillen dropped to 2-2 following a fifth round stoppage at the hands of unbeaten Craig Bunn (8-0-1) at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate Hotel.
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Droylsden’s undefeated prospect, Craig Bunn, 29-years-old, took home the British Challenge super-middleweight belt by forcing the stoppage in the fifth round of the scheduled eight-round contest over 33-year-old travelling opponent, Gillen.
The 6ft 1” Notts fighter commented on his second defeat in his nine-month long pro career:
“Was doing ok, losing the early rounds but not getting hurt. I wanted to get to the sixth, seventh and eighth rounds to take it to him as he was fading. I took a flurry in the fifth round and the ref stepped in. I was wobbled but should have took a knee and I would have been ok.”
The Lancashire boxer dropped down to 168lbs from light-heavyweight to challenge for the belt, a move that paid off for him, recording his first stoppage win in a pro career that dates back to 2005. The former convict had a five-year sabbatical from the squared ring between 2007 to 2012 due to a prison sentence.
Gillen praised his conqueror by saying:
“It was a decent scrap but I lost to the better boxer so can’t complain. I’m gutted but great experience; I’m getting better with every fight, it’s a good learning curve.”
Trained by Andrew Lowe, Deano turned pro with Carl Greaves after winning gold in the World Police and Fire Games 2013, which is a biennial athletic event attracting 10,000 applicants from the world’s police and fire services, only slightly fewer than the Olympic Games.
The firefighter knocked out all of his opponents – Canadian, Dutch and Spanish – to win the gold medal in Belfast. Whereas the games provided Deano with his entire amateur background, victor Bunn boasts a much greater pedigree as a former Junior ABA and Four Nations champion.
Bunn looks like he could finally be set for a promising career following a troubled and stuttering start. The latest win could provide a stepping stone up to the next level in his protracted career.
Gillen has been offered a fight for next month but negotiations are still ongoing at present.
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