Ringside Report’s Fight Report of Recent Results and Upcoming Bouts Around The World
By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 24th September
The interim WBO heavyweight title fight between Joe Joyce and Joseph Parker in Manchester headlining a BT Sport/ Queensberry bill ended with Joyce knocking Parker out in the 11th round. Parker fought well and gainfully attempted to stop Joyce from coming forward and beating him up with all he had available, but Joyce is not called the juggernaut for nothing. Next? He called out the WBO champion Oleksandr Usyk and he believes that he gains revenge for their one fight in the ring, a defeat inflicted upon him in the York Hall whilst both were amateurs – though at the time, Usyk was the Olympic Champion. On this evidence, Joyce has plenty to be confident about. Be very clear, Joe Joyce is world title level now.
International headline in the UK
Friday 23rd September
In New Jersey, the unification super featherweight title fight for the WBC and WBO titles between Shakur Stevenson and Robson Conceicao ended firstly on the scales. Stevenson did not make weight and was stripped meaning that only Conceicao could win the titles. In the end he won nothing as Stevenson dominated and won convincingly. Next Stevenson is going up in weight and on this evidence will be a feature at the overcrowded lightweight division.
International fight of intrigue
Saturday 24th September
In Manchester, BT Sport and Queensberry delivered the return of Amanda Serrano who won a unanimous decision over Sarah Mahfoud for the IBF, IBO, WBC and WBO titles at featherweight. It was a little wider for most of us than two of the scorecards suggested with their 97-93 complimenting of Mahfoud, but the 99-92 scored card was probably closer to the mark. The unification rematch with Katie Taylor was mentioned, once, twice more than three times to this lady… however the WBA belt is held by Erika Cruz – that fight may come first.
UK – Under the radar
Saturday 24th September
Also, in Manchester, England, the IBO, WBA unification fight at super welterweight between Hannah Rankin and Terri Harper was rather one sided as Harper won at a canter. It was a big risk for her to come up so far in weight – three divisions – whilst searching for her second world title at a new division, but in the end, it was Rankin who could not keep up with Harper. Harper is now a prospect at a variety of weights, and she would love to rematch Natasha Jonas with whom she had a split decision draw. Jonas is also now a champion at a higher weight than when they last faced each other. Jonas is looking to fight in the next couple of months – hoping to add the IBF belt at junior middleweight to her WBO and WBC ones she has. Things are about to get interesting – even more than before…
Mentioned in dispatches.
Friday 23rd September
In New Jersey, lightweight Keyshawn Davis stopped Omar Tienda Bahena in the 5th round.
Saturday 24th September
Queensberry and BT Sport, in Manchester, had a stacked undercard involving the WBC international featherweight fight between Raven Chapman and Jorgelina Guanini, which saw a points win for Chapman, whilst the IBO international middleweight title fight featuring Nathan Heaney and Jack Flatley ended in a technical draw. The British and Commonwealth welterweight tussle between Ekow Essuman and Samuel Antwi was a cracker which saw Essuman win on points.
In Belfast the vacant EBU super featherweight belt went to Eric Donovan over Khalil El Hadri on points.
In Nottingham, headlining the show for Matchroom and DAZN, Maxi Hughes took a majority decision win over Kid Galahad for the IBO lightweight crown. Heavyweight Soloman Dacres beat late replacement Ariel Esteban Bracamonte on points whilst cruiserweight Chaevon Clarke stopped Marcos Nicolas Kralitzky in the 4th of a scheduled 8 rounds.
Fast Forward – the week to come as viewed from one side of the Atlantic
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 1st October
We have super lightweight Jake Limond fighting in Renfrew. There is no opponent as yet noted on Boxrec whilst the card may not depend upon him appearing, he is the biggest name out there in a UK fight for the weekend. He made his professional debut in February and will be up for his 4th fight on Saturday. The son of Scottish legend, Willie Limond, there are plenty going for a peek at his son fighting and many have been giving him lots of coverage. But like many sons of many legends – Hatton, Benn, Eubank Jr. – the pressure is on before he steps in a ring…
International headline in the UK
Whilst there is nothing of real note that is catching the eye of either the casual nor the hard-core boxing fan, we do have, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam the IBA bantamweight title fight between Van Thao Tran and Prince Andrew Laurio on Friday the 30th of September.
On Saturday the 1st of October in Nayaret, Mexico, the WBC world title is up for grabs at super flyweight between Asley Gonzalez Macias and Lourdes Juaraez, while in Harare, Zimbabwe, recently crowned WBC interim super bantamweight champion Kudakwashe Chiwandire defends against former world champion, Zulina Munoz.
UK – Under the radar
Friday 30th September
Nothing much to take note of… however we do have two title fights – Connor Marsden v Martin McDonagh for the Southern Area lightweight title in York Hall and Shaun Cooper v Joe Underwood Hughes for the Midlands super featherweight title in Birmingham.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Friday 30th September
We have 6 fights in Birmingham, 11 in York Hall, and 5 in Barnsley.
Saturday 1st October
There are 10 fights in Oldham, 8 in York Hall, 6 in Huyton, 7 in Paisley and 5 in Stoke-on-Trent.
Future History – and the week to follow…
UK – biggest and most notable
Saturday 8th October
At the 02 Arena, London the fight everyone wants to see at catchweight, Chris Eubank Jr against Connor Benn.
International headline in the UK
Saturday 8th October
In Carson, the interim WBC super welterweight title fight between Sebastian Fundora and Carlos Ocampo.
UK – Under the radar
Saturday 8th October
At flyweight and in his 3rd professional fight, Galal Yafai faces Gohan Rodriguez Garcia for the WBC international strap at the 02 Arena.
Mentioned in dispatches.
Friday 7th October
We have 6 fights in Dudley as well as the super flyweight IBO intercontinental title fight between Lauren Parker and Esmeralda Sagamon in Rotherham.
Saturday 8th October
In Carson, we have the IBF super flyweight title fight between Fernando Daniel Martinez and Jerwin Ancajas. In Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, we have the IBO super welterweight title fight between Dennis Hogan and Sam Eggington.
In Bolton, there is the WBO European welterweight title fight between Liam Taylor and Martin Harkin, in Doncaster, there is the IBO continental title on the line at lightweight between Reece Mould and Hamad Gahz, in Leeds, there is the Commonwealth strap up for grabs between Matt Windle and Siphele Myeza at light flyweight and, there are 13 fights in Nottingham.
The undercard at the 02 Arena, London includes light heavyweight Lyndon Arthur, bantamweight Shannon Courteney, super lightweight Harlem Eubank in against David Martin Campillo, the WBA intercontinental title fight at middleweight between Felix Cash and Connor Coyle and the EBU super bantamweight title fight between Ellie Scotney and Mary Romero.