(DEC 6) Saturday's flyweight rematch between British dynamos Shanee Martin and Juliette Winter ended in a controversial draw.

The willowy Winter came into the match at historic York Hall in East London's Bethnal Green carrying a 3-4 record. But she owned a solid 8-round decision over Martin, who entered at 8-4, earned back on July 23, 2006. Both fights were part of World Sports Organisation promotions.

Winter appeared to dominate this six-rounder as well. While the much shorter Martin landed some solid uppercuts and did good work to Winter's body along the ropes, Winter dominated the center of the ring, using her significant reach advantage to repeatedly land stiff and accurate jabs to Martin's face. Just as she did in their last encounter, Winter had Martin's nose steadily dripping blood by the midway point of the fight.

Winter's own nostrils were a bit roseate by the end of this contest as well, but it was Winter's trainer, Clifton Mitchell, a former British and European heavyweight title challenger, who was seeing scarlet when refereee Bob Williams raised both fighters' hands immediately following the final bell. After comforting Winter on getting less than he thought she had earned, he charged across the ring and confronted Williams.

"What fight were you watching, mate?" he screamed at Williams, among other, less-printable abuse.

While Williams may face disciplinary action over his outburst, his anger may have been justified. Kevin Taylor, editor of britishboxing.net, had Winter winning five of the six rounds, giving Martin only the finale. Neither fighter was really local--Winter hails from Derby, in the Midlands, and Winter is from Colchester, near the Essex Coast--but Martin had the majority of the crowd on her side, after coming into the ring sporting a robe and trunks decked out in the national colors, and entering to the theme song of nearby Premiership football club West Ham.

So the vocal support may have influenced Williams a bit, but what couldn't be argued is that this was indeed a pleasing, competitive fight between two scrappy, skilled and pugnacious punchers.

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