Last updated at 19:20, Thursday, 26 November 2009

FRIDAY the 13th may be unlucky for some but not for Workington boxer Darren Askew who won his weekend bout by a technical knockout.

The southpaw light welterweight floored Stoke opponent Dean Harrison with a well-timed uppercut after 51 seconds of the third round.

Harrison got up on eight but clearly wasn’t in a condition to continue and the bout was stopped.

Dazzling Daz, as he is known in the boxing world, rocketed from 43 to 15 in the national rankings following Friday’s victory.

Harrison was ranked 14 in the country and had made unsuccessful bids for both the English and British titles.

Askew denied that he had been apprehensive about fighting on Friday 13th.

He said: “When people say ‘good luck’ that’s for fighters who haven’t trained hard enough.

“You make your own luck.”

Askew punished Harrison with jabs and one-twos and knocked him down in the first round but it was not until the third that the fight was stopped.

Askew said: “Harrison wasn’t fit to continue.

“He got up at the count of eight but he was wobbly. He was gone.”

Askew said he should have been awarded victory in his last two fights.

He lost out to Rick Godding in August, and was defeated on points in his British Masters light welterweight shot against Scottish Commonwealth Games boxer Mitch Prince in October.

He said: “He couldn’t touch me, but the referee obviously liked his work-rate rather than my classier shots.

“Everyone in the crowd thought I had won, and he wouldn’t accept a re-match.”

The defeat against Prince was the first time Askew had been 10 rounds in his pro career.

He has been doing more endurance training to cope with longer fights.

Askew has won six fights and lost three and is scheduled to fight Adil Anwar at Elland Road in Leeds on Tuesday.

Askew has also been shortlisted for the best small hall fight 2009 for his exciting bout against Rick Godding.

First published at 19:22, Thursday, 19 November 2009
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk