Lee Selby
2012 Olympic Gold Medal winner Anthony Joshua scored a 3rd round stoppage over Dorian Darch in a scheduled 6 round Heavyweight bout.
Joshua ripped Darch with a hard combination on the ropes at the end of the 1st frame. Joshua landed several hard shots in round two and then landed a ripping left hook that sent Darch into the ropes and the fight was stopped at 51 seconds of round 2.
Joshua, 241 1/2 lbs is now 4-0 with 4 knockouts. Darch, 241 lbs, is 7-3.
Gary Buckland registered a 12 round split decision over former world champion Gavin Rees in a spirited battle in a British lighteight elimination bout.
The action started off quick with Rees landing the to the body with the right hand. The stood in the “phone booth” for much of the fight with Rees continuing to work the body and Buckland countering with shirt uppercuts on the inside. In round five, Buckland started to up his activity level but in the next round, Rees got back to landing some thudding body shots as well as mixing right;s to the head.
Buckland’s activity level picked it up again in round eight as he started to back Rees up on the ropes. As the round’s went on, Buckland’s activity rate was very consistent. Both guys continued to dig deep but Buckland probably got the 10th frame when he naded a right hand that drove Rees back to the ropes. Rees’right eye started to shot from all the contact in this intense battle. Both guys wanted it in the 12th in this fight that could have gone either way. In the last last 30 seconds alone, Rees rocked Buckland with a hard right but Buckland came right back with furious combination.
Buckland, 134 3/4 lbs of Cardiff, Wales won by scores of 116-113 and 115-114 while Rees got a card 116-113.
Buckland is now 28-3. Rees, 135 lbs is now 37-4-1.
In a terrific back and forth battle Dale Evans scored a 8 round decision win over Erick Ochieng in a Welterweight bout.
It was a back and forth slugfest with both guys being rocked throughout the bout.
Evans, 148 1/4 lbs won by a 77-76 tally in the referee’s scorecard and is now 8-1-1. Ochieng, 148 3/4 lbs is 14-3.
