Halstead Amateur Boxing Club’s young senior cruiser-weight Joe Bonito was left hard done by after losing a split points decision against the hard-punching Charlie Humphrey of the King Fisher ABC on their dinner show at the Ocean Rooms Pier Garden in Corleston.

Humphrey shaded the first two rounds as he unleashed some solid right hands and left leads to the head and body of Bonito, who was allowing Humphrey to pressure him and force him to the ropes.

In this four-round thriller, Bonito displayed good defensive skills, though, catching many shots on his gloves before moving out of trouble.

Bonito pushed forward more in rounds three and four, keeping his very strong opponent on the back foot as he was throwing five and six punch combinations.

The Halstead boxer showed good movement and hand speed with seconds to go in the final round as it got tougher for both and the harder Humphrey tried, the more he was made to pay as he was caught by the heavy-handed Bonito.

Both boxers gave a mature display in this very exciting contest that provided the dramatic high spot of the evening, but the home fighter won the points decision.

Halstead coaches Richard Grove and Paul Turner were in Bonito’s corner.