Kiko Martinez became a two-weight world champion as he won the IBF Featherweight champion as he scored a shocking 6th round knockout of defending champion Kid Galahad at The Sheffield Arena in Sheffield, England

In round three, Martinez started to bleed over his right eye. In round five, Martinez dropped Galahad with a big overhand right. Martinez landed the first punch of round six just seconds into the stanza on the face of Galahad, who fell straight on his back and the fight was over at six seconds.

Martinez, 125.3 lbs of Alicante, SPA is 43-10-2 with 30 knockouts. Galahad, 125.5 lbs of Sheffield, ENG is 28-2.

Baumgardner Stops Harper in 4; Wins WBC Super Featherweight Title

Alycia Baumgardner scored a sensation 4th round stoppage over Terri Harper to win the WBC Super Featherweight championship.

In round four, Baumgardner landed a perfect over hand right that froze the reigning champ on her feet. The fight was stopped just as Baumgardner landed a left hook at 23 seconds.

Baumgardner, 129.5 lbs of Detroit, MI is 11-1 with seven knockouts. Harper, 129.4 lbs of Denby Main, ENG is 11-1-1.

Billiam-Smith Decisions Bregeon

Chris Billam-Smith retained his European Cruiserweight title with a 12-round unanimous decision over Dylan Bregeon.

Billiams-Smith, 199.2 lbs of Bournemouth, ENG won by scores of 120-109 and 119-109 twice and is now 14-1. Bregeon, 197.5 lbs of Nantes, FRA is 11-2-1.

In round four, Bregeon was cut around his right ear.

Dixon Decisions McCrory

Donte Dixon remained undefeated with a eight-round decision over Jordan McCrory in a super featherweight contest.

In round six, Dixon dropped McCrory with a body shot. Later in the round, McCrory was deducted a point for holding.

Dixon, 126.1 lbs of Sheffield, ENG won by an 80-71 tally and is now 6-0. McCrory, 131.3 lbs of Cambusling, SCO is `19-8-1.

Hunt Decisions Flint

Dom Hunt won a 10-round decision over James Flint in a battle of undefeated welterweights.

Hunt, 145.2 lbs of Wakefield, ENG won by a 98-93 score and is now 8-0. Flint, 145.5 lbs of Doncaster, ENG is 9-1-1.

Billy Joe Saunders defended his WBO Super Middleweight title with a comfortable 12-round unanimous decision over Martin Murray at t he SSE Arena Webley in London, England.

It was a non-descript fight that saw Saunders do whatever pleased from the outside. Murray tried at points, but was never able to amount any serious threats against the jabbing and uppercuts from Saunders. Saunders was also able to land some fast three and four punch combinations that had him win every round on the 15rounds.com card (120-109).

Saunders landed 178 of 598 punches; Murray was 85 of 303.

Saunders, 167.5 lbs of Hatfield, ENG won by scores of 120-109 twice and 118-110 to raise his record to 30-0. Murray, 167.6 lbs of St. Helens, ENG is now 39-6-1. Five of those losses have come in world title bouts.

“I wasn’t really happy with that performance,” Saunders told Matchroom. “I’m not taking anything away from Martin, he came with a good game plan. He got through it. He tucked up and survived well. I can only be a bit critical of myself because I had a bit of ring rust. My jab was there but there was just that bit of snap missing. I was trying to look for stuff when naturally it’s there. 

“When you’re in a training camp getting ready for Canelo Alvarez and you’re in the biggest fight of your life, you’ve got that fear factor and everything there, and then the pandemic came and I can only be thankful to be out this year. But then you’re back in camp and it’s a defence against Martin Murray, I was pencilled in to fight him twice in 2018. It was sort of like a hard kick in the teeth. But look, I’ve got to be thank my management team MTK that I’m even out this year. 

“It is what it is, and we move on. I’m 30-0 and still unbeaten and still World Champion. I’ve been World Champion now since 2015. People can run my performance down but let’s make the big fights, because it’s certainly not me turning them away. Eddie knows that I’m always there to sign. I had the Canelo fight signed and it fell through, that’s nobody’s fault. 

“A big well done to my lads who boxed on the show tonight. Lewie Edmondson and Donte Dixon did well. Martin was a cunning old fox, he knew what he was doing and he had the ref on his side, he had the ref eating out of his hand. Fair play to him. I learnt a lot from him to be honest. Perhaps everything happens for a reason and I learnt a hell of a lot from the fight. 

“Fair play to Callum Smith and I really do wish him all of the success in that fight. I think he’s got the tools to do the job. Canelo would have been training since May for this fight. He would have had Smith in his eyesight from day one. It’s been sprung on him at five or six weeks. They’re very clever in the way they work. If Smith has done his homework and prepared well then I give him a good chance of winning the fight. We are pushing for big fights constantly. After the Canelo fight I want to know my next date. I’m not getting any younger and I want to show my full potential.”

Tennyson Stops O’Reilly in 1!

ames Tennyson stopped previously undefeated Josh O’Reilly in round of their scheduled 12-round lightweight bout.

In round one, Tennyson landed a huge uppercut that rocked O’Reilly. Tennyson landed more power shots that sent O’Reilly to the deck. Tennyson landed a left hook that put O’Reilly down for a 2nd time in the round. Tennyson then landed a hard right that forced the stoppage at 2:14.

Tennyson, 135 lbs of Belfast, NI is now 28-3 with 24 knockouts. O’Reilly, 134.5 lbs of Hamilton, CAN is 16-1.

“It was great to get the win on another great show,” said Tennyson. “I went out and it was sort of nip and tuck, and then I think I caught him with a left hook. I saw him go a wee bit so I thought, ‘you know what’, and just put it on him and it paid off. We came out and there wasn’t too much to see between the two of us until I clipped him with that one shot. I got the win and an early night.

“I’m feeling like I’m going to go all of the way here at Lightweight. I’m feeling a heck of a lot stronger and sharper. Eddie just mentioned about Jorge Linares at The SSE in Belfast and the thought of nights like that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Those are the sort of fights that I’m in boxing for. Given the opportunity, I can put my name right up there and mix it with the top names. The Lightweight division is red-hot. There’s Teofimo Lopez, Gervonta Davis and Devin Haney. I’m here and I’m going to start making some noise.”

Shannon Courtenay stopped Dorota Norek in round seven of their scheduled eight-round bantamweight fight.

In round seven, Courtenay landed a booming right that dropped Norek hard to the canvas. Norek got to her feet, and the bout was stopped 1:35.

Courtenay, 120 lbs of Watford, ENG is 6-1 with three knockouts. Norek, 116 lbs of Poozman, POL is 6-2.

“This was needed,” said Courtenay. “I felt like I was back at home. I felt like myself but better. I just needed this to finish the year on a high. I can go into the next fight, whether it’s the rematch or not, with good momentum behind me. She was so rough and coming in with her head, I just thought, ‘you’ve got to be patient’. Like I said before the fight in many of my interviews, timing was going to be key. I had to be patient and wait to let my hands go. I was countering with the left hook when she had me up against the ropes. I wasn’t losing my head and making it scrappy. I knew that if I paced myself, and didn’t rush in, I’d catch her with a right hand because she was open for it. I knew that if I was patient it would come and it did. 

“She had a really high groin guard so the body shots weren’t really having an affect. I was going to try and slow her down to the body but it was such a high groin guard I knew that wasn’t going to work. I knew I had to catch her flush to end it so that’s what I did. 118lbs is the lightest I’ve ever been, amateur and pro career. I want the rematch with Rachel Ball. If she genuinely believes that she won the fight, which many people don’t think she did, why wouldn’t she want to prove people wrong. It’s a fight that everyone wants and it makes sense.”

Donte Dixon won a six-round Angelo Dragone in a featherweight bout.

Dixon, 127.1 lbs of Sheffield, England won by a 58-56 score and is now 5-0. Dragone, 128 lbs of Carmarthen, WAL is 5-2.

“I thought I boxed good. At some points in the fight I was standing there a bit too long and not covering up the best I can. We’ll learn from it and come back better. I’m alright with it. I noticed that I’m up there when it comes to the levels. Levels-wise and skills-wise, I was better than him. He kept coming and made it difficult at times but I feel like I passed with flying colours.

“Billy is managing me so it was nice to look good on his undercard. Billy is helping us a lot getting on these big shows, this is my third time on a Matchroom show. These are the best shows. Today I got to fight on Sky, I’ve always wanted to fight on Sky. Big thanks to Billy Joe, MTK and Adam Etches. 

“I got some very important rounds under my belt. He was a tough guy and kept on coming. I thought I nearly got him out of there in the last round when he was holding on. He was looking at the ref but it didn’t happen. It was a good learning fight. Whoever they put in front of me I’ve just got to keep on beating and then we’ll move on from there. Big thanks to my mum, it’s her birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday mum.”

Lerrone Richards remained perfect as he won a eight-round decision over Timo Laine in a super middleweight bout.

Richards, 172 lbs of New Malden, ENG won by a score of 80-72, and is 14-0. Laine, 171.9 lbs of Helsinki, FIN is 28-15-1.

“I’m pleased with it, we got the rounds under our belt,” said Richards. “We move forwards now towards European honours. He tried to do something in the opening round and I put him in his box, he didn’t want to come out. It was frustrating at times so I stuck behind my jab and got the victory. I’m very pleased, it was my first fight under Dave Coldwell as well and it was good that I could get the ring rust out for the new year. 

When asked about fighting behind closed: “To be honest it didn’t feel any different. I just get on with it, it’s my job. I think I started to enjoy it a little bit more later on in the rounds. In round eight I started to talk a bit and have a little fun. I’m happy with my performance overall. We all bounce off each other in the gym and we’re always learning. Like I said, Dave Coldwell is a teacher, he’s not just a coach. We’re all improving every day.

“It’s some story and it has been quite hard really the last few years, I’ve been funding myself, nobody really knows that. I’ve not had many sponsors backing me but I believe in myself and I believe that I can go to the top. That’s what we plan on doing. I’m going to auction off my shorts and all of the money will go to the NHS. The NHS has done a great thing for our country in supporting everyone. 

“This is a marathon, not a sprint. I know I’m going to get there in the end. When I get there I’m going to stay there. European, and then we’ll talk about world honours after. I’ll tell you and this is a fact, I’ve had more promotion in the last two weeks than I’d had in my whole career and I’m grateful for that. The future is bright.” 

NOTE…The Zach Parker – Cesar Nunez Super Middleweight contest was canceled as the cutman for Parker tested positive for Covid-10

Sheffield Super-Featherweight prospect Donte Dixon has heaped praise on his manager Billy Joe Saunders ahead of his third professional bout against Eduardo Valverde on the undercard of Kell Brook vs. Mark DeLuca at the FlyDSA Arena this Saturday, live on Sky Sports Facebook.

The 20-year-old has made a perfect start to life in the paid ranks, outpointing Naheem Chaudry on his debut at the Civic Centre in Mansfield in October before stopping Vladislavs Davidaitis in two rounds at the famous York Hall just before Christmas.

Guided by undefeated two-weight World Champion Saunders alongside leading management company MTK Global, Dixon believes his career is in the perfect hands as he promises to deliver a memorable performance in his hometown this weekend.

“It’s my first fight in my city on Saturday and I’m looking forward to smashing it by putting on a punch perfect performance for all my supporters in Sheffield,” Dixon told MTK Global. “I’m very excited. I just love fighting and I can’t wait to show everyone my skills.

“I’ve been very pleased with my career so far, from my first fight it’s just got better and better. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds. It’s amazing having Billy Joe help guide my career because he’s someone I’ve always watched even when I was a kid coming up in the amateurs.

“He’s an undefeated two-weight World Champion and he’s been there and done everything, he’s the perfect man to have in my corner and an endless fountain of knowledge. I feel privileged to be working alongside such a professional outfit in MTK Global and I’m excited for my future in the sport.

“I look forward to stepping up in the ranks slowly but surely learning my trade as I go along and getting the right fights and stepping up the rounds. Fans can expect to see a boxing master class, you’ll see me boxing on the front foot, back foot, southpaw and orthodox. I’ll show all my skills in that ring.”

Dixon vs. Valverde is part of a huge night of action in Sheffield.

Kell Brook (38-2, 26 KOs) will be aiming to shake off the ring rust and fire his name back into the mix for a Word Title shot in 2020 when he meets the USA’s Mark DeLuca (24-1, 13 KOs), Kid Galahad (26-1, 15 KOs) takes on Claudio Marrero (24-3, 17 KOs) in a Final Eliminator for the IBF Featherweight crown, Terri Harper (9-0, 5 KOs) clashes with Finland’s Eva Wahlstrom (23-1-2, 3 KOs) in a unification for the WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Titles, Anthony Tomlinson (11-0, 6 KOs) takes on Stewart Burt (13-1-1, 1 KO) in an Eliminator for the British and Commonwealth Welterweight titles, Dave Allen (17-5-2, 14 KOs) makes his long-awaited return after eight months out of the ring, Brentwood Super-Featherweight Martin Joseph Ward (23-1-2, 11 KOs) returns, Super-Middleweight John Docherty (7-0, 5 KO) continues his march towards a first title and Sheffield Light-Heavyweight Callum Beardow (1-0) fights for the second time as a pro.