Taylor wins Split-Decision over Catterall; Retains Undisputed Junior Welterweight title

Josh Taylor escaped with a 12-round split decision over heavy underdog Jack Catterall to retain the undisputed junior welterweight title a the Hydro Arena in Glasgow, Scotland

It was a tough fight with Catterall getting through with overhand lefts. Taylor took a few rounds to get going and was able to get into the fight in the second half of the contest.

In round five, Taylor began to swell around his right eye.

In round eight, Catterall landed a left that was ruled a knockdown. In round 10, Catterall was deducted a point for hitting on the break. Taylor was deducted a point after round 11 for tapping Catterall after the bell.

Taylor landed just 73 of 302 punches; while Catterall was 120 of 525.

The judges saw the fight 114-111 and 113-112 for Taylor. Catterall won a scorecard 113-112.

Taylor, 140 lbs of Scotland is now 19-0. Catterall, 139 lbs of Chorley, ENG is 26-1.

Two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Robeisy Ramirez stopped Eric Donovan in round three of their 10-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Ramirez dropped Donovan with a straight left. In round three, Ramirez landed a hard left that sent Donovan down and the fight was over at 1:04.

Ramirez, 126.3 lbs of Cuba is 9-1 with five knockouts. Donovan, 126.3 lbs of Ireland is 14-2.

Nick Campbell scored a 7th round stoppage over Jay McFarlane in a scheduled 10-round heavyweight brawl

In round seven, Campbell dropped McFarlane with a right uppercut. Campbell continued to batter McFarlane with hard power shots and the fight was finally stopped at 2:18.

Campbell, 254 lbs of Glasgow, SCO is 5-0 with five knockouts. McFarlane, 276 lbs of Glasgow is now 12-6.

Paddy Donovan remained undefeated with a 6th and final round stoppage over Miroslav Serban in a welterweight fight.

In round six, Serban was cut around the left ear. and the fight was stopped.

Donovan, 146 lbs of Limerick, IRE is 8-0 with six knockouts. Serban, 145 lbs of the Czech Republic is 13-9.

Ebonie Jones and Eftychia Kathopuli fought to a six-round draw in a featherweight contest.

The referee score was 57-57. Jones, 126 lbs of Portsmouth, ENG is 1-0-1. Kathopuli, 124 lbs of Scotland is 4-3-1.

John Docherty stopped Jordan Grant in round two of their eight-round super middleweight fight.

In the 2nd frame, Docherty landed a left uppercut to to the body that sent Grant down for the count at 2:49.

Docherty, 172 lbs of Scotland is 12-1 with nine knockouts. Grant, 176 lbs of Hamilton, SCO is 4-2.

Bilal Fawaz stopped Malam Varela in round three of their four-round middleweight contes.

In round one, Fawaz was credited with a knockdown and a left knocked Varela off balance. In round three, Fawaz landed a 16 punch flurry on the ropes, and the fight was stopped.

Fawaz, 158.3 lbs of London, ENG is 2-0 with two knockouts. Varela, 162 lbs of Manchester, ENG is 1-2.

Scott Forrest stopped Eric Nazaryan in the 2nd round of their four-round cruiserweight bout after Nazaryan could not continue due to a arm injury.

The time was 1:08 for Forrest, 203.3 lbs who is 1-0 with one stoppage. Nazaryan, 207 lbs is 28-26-4-2.

2021 Olympian Kurt Walker stopped Jaroslav Hiradel in the opening round of their four-round featherweight bout.

In round one, Walker dropped Hiradel with a body shots, and the fight was stopped at 2:03

Walker, 129 lbs of Northern Ireland is 1-0 with one knockout. Hiradel, 127.3 lbs of the Czech Republic is 1-3.

Kieron Molloy made a successful pro debut with a 2nd round stoppage over Damian Esquisabel in a junior middleweight bout.

The time of the stoppage was 33 seconds for Molloy, who is now 1-0. Equisabel is 4-8.




Dignum stops Dennis in 6

Danny Dignum stopped Grant Dennis in round six of their 10-round middleweight bout at York Hall in London, England,

In round four, Dignum began to bleed on the bridge of his nose.

In round six, Dignum hurt Dennis with a flurry and then dropped him with a straight left hand. Dennis was bloodied and the referee stopped the bout at 2:31.

McGregor and Ruiz fight to a draw

Lee McGregor and Diego Ruiz fought to a 10-round draw in a super bantamweight bout.

The referee score was 95-95. McGregor, 121.5 lbs of Edinburgh, SCO is 11-0-1. Ruiz, 122.3 lbs of Argentina is 23-4-1,

Joe Giles won a four-round decision over Lewis Van Poetsch in a super middleweight bout.

Giles, 170.3 lbs of Essex, ENG won by a 40-36 score and is now 2-0. Van Poetsch, 180 lbs of Lydney, ENG is 9-138-2.

Bilal Fawaz stopped Vladimir Fleischauer in round three of his scheduled four-round super welterweigt clash.

In round three, Fawaz landeda big flurry of punches that forced a stoppage and the bout was stopped.

Fawaz, 154.5 lbs of London was making his pro debut. Fleischauer, 153.5 lbs of Russia is 1-13.

Paul Ryan remained undefeated with an opening round stoppage over CJ Wood in a super welterweight fight.

Seconds into round one, Ryan hurt Wood with a body shot, Ryan landed a flurry that resulted in an eight-count Later in the round, Ryan landed a hard combination that put Wood down and the fight was stopped at 2:26.

Ryan, 155.2 lbs of Dublin, IRE is 3-0 with two knockouts. Wood, 157.4 lbs of Middlesborough, ENG is 3-2-2.

George Mitchell remained undefeated with a four-round decision over Vasif Mamedov in a middleweight contest.

Mitchell, 160 lbs won by a 40-36 score and is now 3-0. Mamedov, 160.3 lbs is 2-10-2.




BILAL FAWAZ FINALLY READY FOR DEBUT AFTER INCREDIBLE STORY

Bilal Fawaz has already been involved in some incredible battles outside the ring during his life – and he finally gets the chance to battle inside the ring when he makes his professional debut on Friday’s huge #MTKFightNight.
Fawaz makes his debut against Vladimir Fleischhauer as part of the stacked card headlined by Danny Dignum’s WBO European middleweight title defence at York Hall in London this week, which will be broadcast live in the US on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank, and worldwide on IFL TV.

It’s been a difficult journey for Fawaz, who has overcome incredible adversity in his life, beginning when he was trafficked as a 14-year-old into the UK from Nigeria, and placed into modern slavery.

After managing to escape from where he was being kept and turning to boxing, Fawaz has since been battling with the home office, but with that now hopefully all behind him, he’s ready to enter the paid ranks.

Fawaz said: “I was trafficked to the UK when I was a kid at 14. I came here as a slave and I was kept in a house that I couldn’t leave. I eventually escaped, and when I was 17 I walked into a boxing gym for the first time.

“I had demons inside of me that I had to let out. I never knew that I had talent, but I knew I had passion and I always give 110% in anything I do. I had a lot of success in the amateurs, but then I was battling with the home office because they were looking to deport me.

“We’ve been battling with them for 19 years, and that finally ended last year, and now I’m finally able to have my first professional fight at the age of 33.

“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs. At times I was sleeping on the streets or sleeping in the gym. A lot has happened to me and there have been times when I considered giving up, but I kept telling myself to get up and keep going.

“It’s vital that I succeed in boxing as this is the path that I have chosen to open the doors for me. I’m making my debut on Friday and then I want more fights and I want to keep going up the ranks. MTK Global have given me a chance and I’m delighted to be part of the team. I will make them proud.”

Elsewhere on Friday’s card, undefeated sensation Lee McGregor returns against Diego Alberto Ruiz, Nina Hughes takes on Bec Connolly, Joe Giles meets Lewis van Poetsch, plus Jordan Flynn, Paul Ryan and George Mitchell are all in action.

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