Conor Benn Scored an impressive 1st round stoppage over Samuel Vargas in the opening round of heir scheduled 12-round welterweight bout at the Copper Box Arena in London England.

Vargas landed a hard right that was followed by a uppercut that hurt Vargas. Benn jumped all over Vargas and landed vicious flurry and the fight was stopped at 1:20.

Benn, 146.6 lbs of Essex, ENG is 18-0 with 12 knockouts. Vargas, 146.6 lbs of Bogota, COL is 31-7.

“I train hard for it,” said Benn. “Again, you’re talking levels. It shows the level I’m at. Errol Spence, Danny Garcia, Vergil Ortiz, Amir Khan – nobody banged him out like that. First round, first round! He came and he was game. He took my belt off me in the week and I had a little stare down with him.

“He was telling me he was ready to fight, and he was talking a good game. He said I had no power. It’s irrelevant because a lot of people can talk. My shots were landing flush. You could tell they were hurting him. When I first hit him it landed swiftly and I thought, ‘right, this is going to be a much quicker night than I thought’.

“I’ve been working on my power with my strength and conditioning coach Dan Lawrence. We’ve been working with Tony, endless hours. First to arrive last to leave. He’s always pushing me. I told you lot I’d knock him out in the first round. I was cool, calm and collected. I work so hard. 

“Give me Amir Khan. I know he’s too busy on reality TV. If he wants it, he can have it. I can deal with pressure. I can cope with it. I can live with it, no problem. I’m ready for the top dogs – Shawn Porter, Adrien Broner? Forget the word prospect, I ain’t a prospect no more.”

Marshall stops Lindberg in 3; Retains Middleweight Title

Savannah Marshall remained undefeated and retained her WBO Middleweight title with a 3rd round stoppage over late-replacement Maria Lindberg

In round two, Marshall dropped Lindberg with a right hand. In round three, it was a left hook that put Lindberg on the deck, and she was counted out at 1:11.

Marshall, 159.9 lbs of Hartlepool, ENG is 10-0 with eight knockouts. Lindberg, 154 lbs of Malmo, SWE is 19-7-2.

“To be honest, I really didn’t think it would pan out like that,” said Marshall. “Maria is one tough woman. She keeps herself in shape all year round. She’d never been stopped in 27-fights. I thought I was in for a bit of a tough night’s work.

“Once I started finding my range with the jab then the backhand just found its way home and I don’t think she could handle the power. She just said there she’s never been dropped in 23 years! I’m quite proud of that.

“On Sunday, I didn’t even think I was going to fight, and then they brought Maria in. It kind of rocked the boat a bit. A quick change of tactics and we got the job done. She’s been in with some good girls, Christina Hammer, she’s boxed for numerous World Titles. She wanted mine, but she’s not getting it. I’m truly grateful to Maria for stepping up. Big thanks to her.

“I’ve heard whispers we’re going back to Newcastle in July, hopefully with crowds. I’d love to box for the IBF Title which is vacant. I feel good at this weight, I’m a big Middleweight. Me against Shields is the only fight at the bigger weights. It has to happen really. There’s nowhere else for her to go. She needs me just as much as I need her.”

Courtenay Decisions Bridges in war; Wins Bantamweight Title

Shannon Courtenay won the WBA Bantamweight with a unanimous decision over Ebanie Bridges in a toe-to-toe slugfest

In round two, both Bridges and Courtenay were cut from a headbutt. Bridges on her forehead, and Courtenay around her right ear. In round five, the left eye of Bridges started to swell.

Bridges continued to push the pace and even hurt Courtenay in round seven. Courtenay had a strong final few rounds, and won y scores of 98-92 twice and 97-94.

Courtenay, 117.1 lbs of Watford, ENG is 7-1. Bridges, 117 lbs of New South Wales, AUS is 5-1.

“Amazing. I don’t want to cry. Amazing,” said Courtenay. “I feel like my jab won me the fight to be honest. My conditioning, my attrition, all of the hard work. My two coaches Charlie and H kill me on a daily basis. They kill me in the gym. I hate them for it, but it bloody paid off. My nice jab, my fitness and my conditioning won me that fight.

“I have to give credit to her because that was a bloody good fight. She was tougher than I thought she’d be. I knew if I stuck to my boxing I’d win. I had to keep listening to Charlie – he kept saying, ‘box, box, box’. When I was getting into a war it was stupid of me. The jab won me the fight.

“There was respect before I got in the ring because anybody that gets in the ring deserves respect. I now have more respect for her. When it was a shootout that was my own stupidity. I’ve come a long way. I’ve said it all week. Tonight is proof that anyone can turn their life around.

“I’m a different person to who I was back then. I’m a World Champion baby! I’m wearing this belt everywhere. This is such a proud moment for me. This is such a good example to young girls that you can turn your life around. I can’t put it into words.”

Farooq Decisions Espinoza

Kash Farooq win a 10-round unanimous decision over Alexander Espinoza in a bantamweight bout.

It was an action packed fight that saw both fighters scrap from in close. In round seven, Farooq was cut around his right eye, The blood was caused by a head clash.

Farooq, 117 lbs of Glasgow, SCO won by scores of 97-93, 97-94 and 97-95 and is now 15-1. Espinoza, 117.8 lbs of Managua, NIC is 20-3-2.

“I’m over the moon with the performance,” Farooq told Sky Sports. “I knew it was going to be a tough fight. I came as an underdog, he was the champion. He took some really heavy shots and he kept coming and coming. 

“When you’re a champion you don’t want to give your belt up. He just wanted to win. That’s why he came here. I wasn’t going to be denied. It’s a lot of hard work in the gym. Practice, practice and practice. It’s second nature because I’ve been working on this for such a long time. I can see the punches coming.”

Campbell Takes Out Frohlich in 2

Nick Campbell made a successful pro debut with a 2nd round stoppage over Petr Frohlich in a scheduled six-round heavyweight bout.

Campbell dropped Frohlich in the 2nd frame with a right. He finished off the fight with a flurry that forced a referee stoppage at 41 seconds.

Campbell, 248.8 lbs of Glasgow, SCO is 1-0 with one knockout. Frohlich, 226.6 lbs of Most, CZE is 2-31-1.

“I like to try and stay humble, I expected to get rid of that guy to be honest with you,” said Campbell. “I know he’s not been knocked out many times in his losses and he’s tough. He took some shots there. I’m pleased with how it went. I put him down once and then the referee jumped in and stopped it.

“In my opinion it was the dream debut. Making my debut on a stage like that after everything that happened in the past year is something that I’d have never of dreamed of. I’m just buzzing to be here and to be talking to you. I’m happy with my performance. I went in there and I had a high work rate. I was just trying to display the things we’d been working on in the gym.

“I can’t thank my team enough for all of the hard work they’ve put into me. They’re the best team around in my opinion. All of the people that have been singing my praises, that was for you, so thank you. I’m a bit older than most people that make their debut, but I feel young. Every fight that I have is a step further than people thought I could go. I’m just here to prove people wrong and work hard.”

Savannah Marshall believes her late stand-in opponent Maria Lindberg will prove to be a tougher assignment than her original opponent Femke Hermans when they meet for the WBO Middleweight World Title tomorrow night, live on Sky Sports in the UK and on DAZN in the U.S. and more than 200 countries and territories.

Marshall (9-0, 7 KOs) stopped Hannah Rankin in seven rounds to win the vacant WBO crown last October, the former amateur World Champion was a class above her Scottish rival from the opening bell and managed to go one better than her old foe Claressa Shields by ending the fight inside the distance.

The Hartlepool fighter was due to face Belgium’s Hermans in her maiden defence until the European Champion was forced to pull out of their contest just days ago due to two positive Coronavirus tests in her camp. 

Sweden’s Lindberg, a former four-time World Title challenger, has shared the ring with the likes of Christina Hammer, Ema Kozin and Marie Eve Dicaire, and Marshall says she is prepared for a hard night’s work in her first fight of 2021.

“If anything, this is a tougher fight than the original fight we had,” said Marhsall. “Maria is very experienced, tough and been in with some of the best in the world – Christina Hammer twice. I’m expecting a tough fight come Saturday.

“I’ve had a twelve-week camp, so I’ve prepared for everything. Whatever Maria brings I’m more than confident I’ve got the answer for. I found out about Femke Hermans being off on Saturday and I thought there was no way they’d get me a replacement opponent at such short notice. 

 “Luckily Matchroom pulled it out of the bag and got me an opponent. She’s had three times as many fights as me so I’m sure she knows all of the little tricks of the trade. She’ll probably never get a chance like this again so really it’s the last roll of the dice for her. She’s definitely going to come all guns blazing.”

Marshall vs. Lindberg is part of a big night of action, rising Welterweight star Conor Benn (17-0, 11 KOs) defends his WBA Continental Title against Samuel Vargas (31-6-2, 14 KOs) in the main event, Watford’s Shannon Courtenay (6-1, 3 KOs) faces Australia’s Ebanie Bridges  (5-0, 2 KOs) for the vacant WBA Bantamweight World Title, Glasgow Bantamweight Kash Farooq (14-1, 6 KOs) challenges Alexander Espinoza (20-2-2) for the WBC International Silver Title, Glasgow Heavyweight Nick Campbell makes his professional debut and Takeley prospect John ‘The Gentleman’ Hedges (1-0) looks to build on his pro debut win last October.