IT takes a little more than guts to emerge from obscurity into the boxing limelight. This Derrick ‘Guts’ Planter found out when he was curried and put on his butt for the first time to surrender a unanimous points decision to a mauling Tsetsi Davis in their 2013 Wray & Nephew Contender Boxing series quarter-final showdown at the Chinese Benevolent Association on Wednesday night.

Planter was in what appeared to be in his best fighting shape ever, but it was the slugger-turnedboxer on the night Davi forced the judges’ unanimity of decision by picking off his opponent with some telling body shots and a third round knock down to pick up a 10-8 decision for the round.

For the remaining three rounds, Planter failed to score consistently and when the announcement came from ring announcer Oliver Hardie it was no surprise. Judges Keith Brown, Clifford Brown and Linden Allen were unanimous scoring the bout 60-53 all to the winner Davis.

It was not that Planter was inactive during six rounds of mostly continuous action. Far from it. The problem was that he promised much but delivered little with his lethal right that was seemingly cocked for throwing bombshells. But with little to aim at the trademark right hand launcher never exploded and became less and less effective as the fight wore on.

Davis who showed mental toughness following a clash of heads in the opening round where he received a sizeable cut that should warrant between three and four stitches stayed out of harm’s way, but every so often sneaked under the taller Planter to delivere telling body blows. This no doubt inhibited Planter from using his cocked right as he chased an illusive Davis.

Very pleased with his night’s work, Davis said that the early cut to his forehead inhibited some of the things that “I wanted to do”.

“But if you cannot knock out a fighter what are you going to do? You just have to stay with it in order to get the best result. I stayed with it and came away with the win.

“Yes he did get in some solid punches, but I am an experienced person. I go places and have 60 amateur fights with 10 professional fights. I am an experienced fighter who makes that count for me while I am in the ring,” Davis said.

Despite losing, Planter thought it was a good fight.

“The kid came out to fight and he did fight. I did go out there and put up a fight but I should have put up a better fight. I saw that he was becoming tired, but my hands they just would not come out. He got me with some good body shots but that did not upset me,” said Planter.