Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
UK – biggest and most notable
Friday 17th June
On Channel 5 from Liverpool heavyweight Nathan Gorman blasted out Tomas Salek in one round. Gorman announced himself back on the heavyweight scene with a quick knockout which was a fantastic way to return to action. There is still a long way to for him to get into contention for some of the belts, but he has an exceptional platform now, upon which to rebuild his career. It took 81 seconds and is the 4th win since his loss to Daniel Dubois. A rematch will be in his mind, given Dubois has the WBA belt, but the scene is crowded – not that an 81 second knockout will be missed!
Under the radar
Saturday 18th June
In Wishaw, Scotland we saw son of the legendary Willie Limond, Jake managed a points win over John Spencer, whilst Scott Allen managed a fantastic stoppage win as he showed what we have been missing over the last few years. Allen is a showman. This was in his gym. He is back and we can always make room for his brand of personality.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Friday 17th June
In Liverpool, super welterweight Josh Kelly got back, blitzing Peter Kramer and stopping him in the 4th round. After a very prolonged timeout of the ring and following the loss he had to David Avanesyan, way back in February 2021, this was an exceptional and explosive return to the ring. Kelly was one of the future stars of the Matchroom stable until that loss, and now he is looking to rebuild. On the evidence of this, Kelly is very much back in the picture.
Saturday 18th June
In Leeds, super lightweight Ohara Davies stopped Abdessamad Nechchad in 8, and the WBA intercontinental super bantamweight title fight between Jack Bateson and Diego Alberto Ruiz ended with a points win for Bateson.
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 25th June
At super welterweight and in Coventry, Sam Eggington takes on Przemyslaw Zsyk live on Sky. If any fighter in the UK is THE most exciting, THE most reckless AND THE most anticipated fighter to get into a ring, it is Eggington. This may not be a world title fight of note – the IBO have sanctioned it – but every time Eggington dons the gloves it feels like it is a major world title fight. His CV may be less impressive than some, but his dedication is much better than most. He does have a tough task in Zsyk, and anyone thinking that Zsyk is here for a pay day can throw themselves in front of this guy’s fists on Saturday night as Eggington shall. Eggington is likely to go to war on Saturday and the winners are likely to be the old cliché – the fans!
International headline in the UK
Saturday 25th June
A full card in San Antonio, Texas, has the WBO, WBC, IBO, IBF and WBA welterweight fight for all the belts between Jessica McCaskill and Alma Ibarra. Whilst there may only be two fights differences between their professional experiences, there are clearly quite a massive difference in the calibre of opponent they have faced. They do share an opponent in Kandi Wyatt. McCaskill stopped her and Ibarra won on points. McCaskill clearly wants the rematch with Katie Taylor. If that is to happen, she must first despatch a game and tough Mexican in Ibarra in style.
Under the radar
Saturday 25th June
Also, on the Sky card in Coventry, the two winners of the last two Boxxer series appear. Firstly, super lightweight Cori Gibbs faces Carlos Perez in his first outing since winning the series. Perez is the current Spanish champion and should be quite a challenge for Gibbs. Gibbs should win and move on from there, but this looks a competitive first fight on a huge platform – Sky.
Lightweight Dylan Cheema is looking at a 4 rounder with Stu Greener, which shall not be a real challenge to face in his first fight since winning the contest. These boxer series, if they are to improve on previous formulas need to put things on a highly competitive footing – much like the Boxxer nights themselves.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Saturday 25th June
We have lots of fights all over the UK – including Friday night – 9 different events across the weekend from Inverness to Bournemouth! Of note is the Celtic middleweight title fight between Graham McCormack and Dominic Donegan in Belfast whilst the Sky card in Coventry, has the debut of Olympian featherweight Kariss Artingstall taking on the teak tough Lithuanian, Vaida Masiokaite.
In San Antonio, Texas, there is the WBA and IBF super bantamweight contest between Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Ronny Rios, and the WBC super flyweight battle between Jesse Rodriguez Franco and Srisaket Sor Rungvisai.
Future History – and the week to follow…
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 2nd July
BT Sport deliver in Wembley with a bill topped by the man who beat the man who is the WBA heavyweight champion now, Joe Joyce, facing a replacement opponent in Christian Hammer.
International headline in the UK
Saturday 2nd July
In Queensland, Australia, we have the IBF cruiserweight title fight between Mairis Breidis and Jai Opetaia, which shall be of massive interest to British fighters like Lawrence Okolie and Richard Riakporhe.
Under the radar
Saturday 2nd July
The BT Sport bill has quite a few decent fights on it, the cream for me is the return of Callum Johnson at light heavyweight who takes on Igor Mikhalkin for the bizarre WBO Global title.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Friday 1st, Saturday 2nd July
Plenty of fights across the UK with bills in Bolton, York Hall and Rotherham on the Friday whilst on Saturday Plymouth, York Hall, Solihull, Barnsley and Hull add to the televised Wembley card. On that Wembley card we also have lightweight Mark Chamberlain taking on Marc Vidal for the IBF European title, middleweight Nathan Heaney faces Nizar Trimech for the IBO international belt, and super bantamweight Jason Cunningham is up against Zolani Tete for the IBF international and Commonwealth crowns.