When you pay $30 for a Fight Night ticket, you enter Number One Shed with certain expectations.

You expect to drink beer, eat pizza, shout a lot and see the full spectrum of boxing abilities from the sublime to the ridiculous.

There was back-turning, punches to the back of the head, low blows, a bizarre withdrawal, two stoppages, a couple of questionable points decisions, dodgy ring girl outfits, plenty of chanting and some comedy tumbles ? everything that makes Fight Night the popular draw it has always been.

The traditional boos greeted the announcements that fights weren?t taking place although the news that Sharieff Wales and Freeman Smith weren?t going toe-to-toe again this year drew genuine frustration from the crowd.

But Jerome Kaines? victory over Bruno Parker, in what became the top of the amateur card, was still a chance to see some genuine boxing after the enthusiastic but messy bouts that went before.

Gone were the big knockouts from the previous year, but Kaines, who seems to have become orthodox over the past 12 months, ? incredibly baggy shorts aside ? put in a strong performance to take the only belt up for grabs.

Keeping his guard up and dispensing with most of the Prince Naseem-style silliness, Kaines fought neatly, picking off Parker at will and making the most of his 13 lbs weight advantage.

He had Parker on the canvas after 24 seconds in the first with a right hook ? although Parker would later say he slipped ? and never looked back.

Kaines didn?t quite have the force to knock down his 30-year-old opponent but the points decision was always going to go in his favour.

Although some of the blood and thunder of the previous bouts was missing, and therefore some of the crowd volume, the knowledgeable section of the crowd were delighted with what they saw and the bout was quite rightly recognised as the Fight of the Night.

?That wasn?t my best,? mumbled Kaines through his mouthguard.

?I won but I?m still not happy. I can do better, I didn?t hit like I know I can.?

Parker meanwhile bemoaned the weight difference.

?I am never going to fight with such a gap,? said the disappointed hairstylist afterwards.

?It made a difference, I was pretty tired by the end. I didn?t fight my best there and the 13lbs I gave away was too much.?

The welterweight championship was a welcome relief after the boos extracted by the previous contest which saw a rather petulant and needless withdrawal by Dean Lottimore, who earned the second loudest round of derision of the night.

The first round was stopped on at least four occasions for him to make various adjustments to his equipment against Lyndon (Boxer) Woods and he finally pulled out after the first round was to extended to nearly four minutes, of which less than a minute was spent actually fighting.

His corner?s only explanation was ?he?s not happy with the equipment he has to wear? ? a poor excuse indeed considering the discomfort all the previous fighters with little or no experience had to go through.

On a night that sees accountants put themselves through hell for their moment of glory, nobody was impressed with an ?experienced? boxer showing such a lack of stomach for the fight.

In the other contest between those with a record, Joshua Smith won Fighter of the Night on his way to improving his record to 3-0 against Jeffrey (Chops) Richardson with a deserved points decision.

But it was the inter-rugby scraps, with scraps the operative word, that attracted the greatest excitement around the venue.

Two groups of fans put in some passionate chanting during the opening six contests which were a true case of substance over style.

Dejon (Doc) Seymour a 300 lbs hulk of a man, stopped Gary (Sociopath) Wilson in the second round as he took his third count with a bloody nose.

The Teachers RFC player, the heaviest competitor in the absence of Wales, gave the Englishman some heavy treatment and despite Wilson?s ridiculous enthusiasm and bravery, there are only so many times you can run into the fist of a super heavyweight and expect to survive.

Alvin Bell won the People?s Fighter of the Night after his somewhat questionable victory over fellow countryman Dan Kidd, in a match that was short of punches thrown but again an impressive show of courage.

Teachers? player Greg Fraser earned a points decision over Simon Brazier of Renegades, a very popular decision with the MR Onions? fan in the joint.

National volleyball player John Martin won an all-Canadian contest with a second-round stoppage against Clint Murphy in which he was hardly touched by his opponent while Irishman and Renegade Darragh (The Bullet) O?Donoghue was too much for Police player George Spurling.

In the opening fight, Kenneth Williams beat his cousin Lubin Sousa on a deserved points decision.

It was missing Wales and his super heavyweight antics, but Fight Night, with its first pro fight and plenty of blood, sweat and fears, was still a resounding success.

As they filed out into the cold air of Front Street, the ?perhaps I?ll have a go next year? comments had begun ? the countdown to Fight Night VIII has already begun.