Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
UK – biggest and most notable
It has been hailed by many as the best fight they have EVER seen. On Saturday the 12th of March, we beheld in Nottingham, Leigh Wood successfully defend his IBF title against Michael Conlan.
That is only the beginning of the story. Conlan dropped Wood in the first round, Wood rose like a phoenix but could not find the rhythm to beat Conlan over the next 10 rounds, until the last one. Conlan was also counted in the 11th when he fell, he claims he slipped, on the canvass so the final round was, in his eyes, going to decide the fight. He went in with all guns blazing, and so did Wood. Conlan had shown he was world class and was well ahead on most scorecards. The most generous cards for Wood around the ring were making Conlan ahead by just one. The more realistic had it at 3 up. Nobody had Wood ahead. Nobody expected that Wood would knock Conlan out, through the ropes and retain his title. Nobody.
It was a sickening end as Conlan was stretchered out and given oxygen but was then given the “all clear” at hospital. He wants a rematch. We want a rematch. Wood wants Leo Santa Cruz next instead and who can blame him.
Under the radar
On the same night, Saturday the 12th of March, in Cardiff, the Celtic title fight at lightweight between Craig Woodruff and Ronnie “The Shark” Clark ended with a wide points win for Woodruff. He is now looking at a tilt at the British title. Clark showed enough to suggest that he might not be finished just yet as he had only 3 weeks’ notice for the fight, and it was always going to be a tough ask.
International – most intriguing
Th night after, Sunday the 13th of March, in Ontario, Canada welterweight Samuel Vargas lost to Przemyslaw Runowksi on points for the vacant IBO international title. It may be time for Vargas to contemplate retirement given that of his 8 losses, 5 have come in his last 7 fights after a draw with Mauro Maximiliano Godoy.
Mentioned in dispatches
The DAZN undercard in Nottingham saw middleweight Caoimhin Agyarko carry on his upward trajectory with a win on points against Juan Carlos Rubio by a wide margin. Lightweight Terri Harper also beat Argentina’s Yamila Beken Abellaneda on the bill. Harper fought through a cut but managed to win with some ease in the end. In York Hall super bantamweight Marc Leach beat Chris Bourke for the British title. It was a very decent win on points for Salford’s Leach and with a corner filled with people who had last been in Jack Catterall’s corner, it was good to see Nigel Travis and Jamie Moore back to put their man through to winning ways.
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
UK – biggest and most notable
On Saturday the 19th of March we have BT Sports and Queensberry providing us with a peach of a night of boxing at Wembley, which sees some emerging stars alongside a very interesting contest for the EBU belt. Though based in the UK, David Avanesyan is Russian. He is slated to defend as the headliner, his welterweight belt against Oskari Metz at the moment…
Avanesyan, his nationality aside, is a tremendous boxer and has a few notable wins on his resume – tough Spaniard, Kerman Lejarraga twice in his own backyard of Bilbao, and Josh Kelly but has also beaten Shane Mosely in an interim WBA world title fight in 2017. Having already fought for world honours, this is him getting back on track for another run at a world title as he defends his EBU belt for the 5th time in 3 years. There are few at his level in Europe and this ought to see him back on the negotiating table. He is in the top ten with three of the four major sanctioning bodies so he is in with a shout.
Under the radar
Also, on Saturday the 19th of March we have two fights that are at the opposite sides of the scales – literally. In Dubai, the true fight is the flyweight battle between Sunny Edwards defending his IBF belt against Muhammed Waseem. Of course, we in the UK are right behind our champion Edwards but there is little doubt this is likely to be quite a stiff test. Edwards has signed a promotional deal with the company behind this card and they are quite new, so he has taken a bit of a gamble.
The other fight, at the other end of the scales is Eddie Hall (World’s Strongest Man 2017) against Hafthor Bjornsson (World’s Strongest Man 2018) to settle a feud from 5 years ago when Thor accused Hall of cheating to win the 2017 title. It’s a little bit circus, it’s a little bit freak show… and it should be entertaining.
International headline in the UK
On the same night, Saturday the 19th of March, and now, with having seen Amir Khan lose to his long-term foe, Kell Brook, there was a lot of chat about his previous opponent, Billy Dib. Dib has popped up and finds himself in the ring, in Queensland, against Jacob Ng for the IBF international lightweight belt and quite a few expect Ng to win…
International – most intriguing
But before we have all that on Friday the 18th of March, also in Dubai I could not resist this fight. Due to the irony of hosting a female world title fight, in a country with some ill-disguised misogynistic practices… we have the IBO lightweight title contest between Estelle Yoka Mossely and Yanina del Carmen Lescano. Mossely is defending.
Mentioned in dispatches
Elsewhere we have a full weekend in the UK with cards in Rotherham, Oldham, York Hall, London, Newcastle and Hull. The big night in Wembley, on the Saturday 19th March has the WBO youth bantamweight title fight between Dennis McCann and Charlie Tondo, the WBC international silver fights at featherweight – between Louie Lynn and James Beech Jr. – at lightweight – between Sam Noakes and Vincenzo Finiello – and at middleweight – between Hamzah Sheeraz and Jez Smith. On the Edwards/Waseem undercard we have Regis Prograis against Tyrone McKenna
Future History – and the week to follow…
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 26th March
In Leeds, DAZN and Matchroom have the IBF featherweight contest between Josh Warrington and Kiko Martinez in a fantastic fight. Martinez got the belt after sparking out Kid Galahad and Warrington used to have it, so plenty of narrative here… and sparks as they fought before – Warrington won by majority decision in 2017.
Under the radar
Saturday 26th March
In Wembley, cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe has a new opponent in Deion Jumah. The card for the night has brought its own drama with pull outs and redraws so Riakporhe will not face Fabio Turchi and will face a dangerous British fighter instead.
International headline in the UK
Saturday 26th March
There are a few fights worthy of mention, but the most likely to have an impact is the IBO intercontinental super middleweight fight in Dortmund between Felix Sturm and Istvan Szili. Is this Sturm trying to keep his time in a ring going or is the time for Szili to shine?
International – most intriguing
Saturday 26th March
In Accra Ghana, Scottish welterweight Lee McAllister travels to Africa again for the WBO intercontinental title. It is intriguing because we have quite the narrative as McAllister is very involved in BIBA, the alternative to the British Boxing Board of Control…
Mentioned in dispatches
Elsewhere we have a full weekend in the UK with cards in Willenhall, York Hall, Swindon, Dunfermline, Nottingham, Manchester, Dunstable, Doncaster, Glasgow and Bedford. Of note, in Dubai cruiserweight Mike Perez faces Vasil Ducar for the WBO intercontinental title, in Newcastle, super lightweight Lewis Ritson takes on Dejan Zlaticanin, in Wembley Caroline Dubois has her second professional fight and in Leeds we have two more world title fights – Maria Cecilia Roman takes on Ebanie Bridges for the IBF title and lightweight Maxi Hughes is up against Ryan Walsh in defense of his IBO belt.