‘Grim Reaper’ Martin Hillman Notches 18th Career Win in Tolworth Triumph

‘Grim Reaper’ Martin Hillman Notches 18th Career Win in Tolworth Triumph

By Garry White

Orpington-based bantamweight, Martin Hillman secured an eighteenth career victory on Saturday night at London’s Tolworth Recreation Centre. Topping the bill on the Black Box Promotions show, the experienced Hillman dealt ably with his game Tanzanian opponent.

Adam Yahaya, who at just 5”1 was giving away a substantial height and reach advantage, entered the ring with two losses so far this year; nevertheless, in an eighteen-year pro-career, he has built up a solid record of 23 wins and two draws from 38 contests.

From the opening bell of their headlining eight-rounder Hillman, who was well supported at ringside by a vocal travelling contingent sought to put his stamp on the fight. Earlier, he had made his entrance to the ring in a Grim Reaper costume, swinging a scythe in mock menace, much to the delight of the paying public. The look was further complimented by the ominous tolling bell soundtrack famously favoured by the WWE’s Undertaker. Later, Hillman confirmed that this one-off macabre turn, “Was just a bit of Halloween fun.”

Capturing the centre ring from the outset, the reigning Universal Boxing Organisation [UBO] Inter-continental champion quickly found his range with the jab, forcing the experienced Yahaya onto the back foot. As early as the first he demonstrated his superior strength by comfortably pushing his opponent across the ring, at the same time earning a mild ticking off from referee, Sean McAvoy.

Throughout the first half of the fight, Hillman continued to score well with his jab and, at one point, sent Yahaya back-tracking into ropes from a well-timed combination. In contrast, Yahaya seemed more focused on going for broke with single shots. Hillman went on to have a strong fifth round where his superior boxing skills kept his Tanzanian opponent in check. As the fight moved into the later rounds the Orpington-man continued to outwork his foe. Whilst Hillman continued to consistently land solid jabs and demonstrate his up-tempo work rate, Yahaya was content to predominantly fight in short bursts only, looking for the one-off money shot. Hillman later admitted, “I was a bit wary of the dangerous hook that he kept trying to use. I knew I was stronger and didn’t want to get caught by something silly and ruin the whole night.”

Overall, it proved to be a solid game plan against a tricky southpaw opponent, with Hillman picking up a deserved 77-75 success on the referee’s card. “I was very confident at the end. To be honest, I thought I’d won it by a few more,” revealed Hillman post-fight. “But at the end of the day, I am at that stage in my career where I wanted someone who would come and give it a go. There was no point in fighting someone who would just come and cover up.” That win takes the Orpington fighter to 18-7 [2 KOs].

This success in the outer London suburbs was a far cry from the 33-year-olds most recent ring appearance more than 3,000 miles away in Ghana. In the African fight capital of Accra, Hillman outpointed local favourite Baraka Mchongi to successfully defend his UBO Inter-continental title. In doing so, he endured extreme heat, a mid-fight power cut, and the indignity of getting changed on the pavement outside of the venue.

Within Hillman, who is fast approaching veteran status after eleven years in the pro game, there is a burning desire to claim more titles. Having previously fought four times for the Southern Area belt at a variety of often disadvantageous weights and never at his preferred bantamweight, he is still to get his hands on the prize. His most recent challenge at super flyweight ended in an eighth-round stoppage, after a game battle with Somerset’s Paul Roberts.

Hillman will be hoping that this most recent win along with that international success in Africa earlier in the year, will be sufficient to position him for another title crack soon. “Coming off two wins has surely got to help. My promoter [Dean Whyte] has told me that we’ll be looking for a title fight early next year. Maybe it will be for the Southern Area again or one of the new Commonwealth Silver belts,” reveals Hillman.

“Who knows, don’t even rule out another African adventure!”