Boxing Results: Joshua Buatsi Stops Ricards “The Lion” Bolotniks in the UK!

By Ken Hissner: At the Matchroom HQ Garden Brentwood “Fight Camp,” Essex, UK, Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing), Saturday, over DAZN, Olympian and WBA International Light Heavyweight champion Joshua Buatsi stopped Ricards “The Lion” Bolotniks in 11 rounds. WBO Global Welter champion Michael “The Problem” McKinson defeated Przemyslaw Runowski.

In the co-feature, Olympian Joe “Welsh Wizzard” Cordina scored a knockout in 0:53, stopping Joshuah Hernandez.

In the Main Event Olympian and WBA No. 2, WBA Int’l Light Heavy champ Joshua Buatsi, 15-0 (13), #174 ¾, of Ghana and Croydon, London, UK, stopped WBA No. 3 Ricards “The Lion” Boloniks, 18-6-1 (8), #174 ½, of Riga, Latvia, at 2:08 of the eleventh round of a 12.

In the first round, early Boloniks landed a solid right on the chin of Buatsi.

In the second round, a left hook from Buatsi to the ribs hurt Boloniks. In the sixth round, a left hook from Buatsi on the chin dropped Boloniks, who was up immediately while referee Howard Foster gave him an 8-count halfway through the round. Buatsi tried finishing him while chasing him but let him off the hook.

Unlike in the U.S, the referee allows Virgil Hunter, the trainer of Buatsi, to stand in the corner holding a lower rope giving instructions.

In the eighth round, for the third time, Buatsi landed a low blow, and referee Foster took away a deserved point. In the eleventh round, a right from Buatsi on the chin and down went Boloniks causing referee Foster to wisely wave it off.

“Like Joshua in the Bible, I came to win. I have a great team,” said Buatsi. “Boloniks kept coming back. This young man (Buatsi) has talent, heart, and a real champion,” said Eddie Hearn.

WBO Global Welter champ southpaw WBO No. 4 ranked Mikey “The Problem” McKinson, 21-0 (2), #146 ½, of Portsmouth, UK, dominated Przemyslaw Runowski, 19-2 (5), #146 ¼, of Slupsk, Poland, over 10 lopsided rounds.

In the second round, a punch-push from McKinson put Runowski back several steps into the ropes. In the fourth round, Runowski landed his first solid punch, a left hook on the chin of McKinson halfway through the round. In the final ten seconds, McKinson knocked Runowski back and almost down with a left on the chin. Runowski had a red blemish on his left eyelid at the end of the round.

In the eighth round, it continued being all McKinson until the final ten seconds when Runowski landed a rare power punch right on the chin. In the tenth and final round, McKinson completed the shutout, though, at times, Runowski knowing he needed a knockout threw more punches than in any other round though not all landing.

Scores 99-91 twice and 98-92 with this writer 100-90. The referee was Howard Foster.

Ukashir “Untouchable” Farooq, 16-1 (6), #117 ½, of Pakistan and Glasgow, Scotland, UK, defeated Luis “La Sombra” Castillo, 28-3 (18), #116 ¼, of Jiqulipilco, MEX, for the vacant WBC International Bantamweight title, over 10 rounds

In the fourth round, the referee John Latham finally warned Farooq, who threw Castillo down for the third time. In the fifth round, Farooq continued landing a lead right to the chin of a busy Castillo. In the sixth round, Farooq suffered a small cut on his left cheek.

In the seventh and eighth rounds, Castillo misses half his punches but lands more than Farooq, whose countering punches are power punches causing swelling under the right eye of Castillo. In the tenth and final round, Castillo continued chasing Farooq walking into counter punches. Farooq had a bruise on his left cheek at the end.

Scores were 100-90 twice and 100-91 with this writer 97-93.

Featherweight Raymond “Savage” Ford, 9-0-1 (5), #126, of Camden, NJ, stopped Reece “The Bomber” Bellotti, 14-5 (12), #125 ½, of Watford, Hertfordshire, UK, at 0:39 of the third round of a 10, for the vacant WBA Continental title.

In the co-feature Olympian Super Featherweight “Welsh Wizard” Joe Cordina, 13-0 (8), #134, of Cardiff, Wales, UK, stopped “Windy City Kid” Joshuah Hernandez, 10-4 (8), #132 ¾, of PR and Chicago, IL, at 0:53 of the first round of a 10.

In the first round, a right off a jab from Cordina on the chin and down went Hernandez, who tried to get up with no success as referee Lee Every waved it off.

Lightweight Zelfa “Brown Flash” Barrett, 26-1 (16), #136 ¼, of Manchester, Lancashire, UK, stopped Viorel Simion, 22-76 (9), 139 ¾, of Lehliu Gara, Romania, end of 4 rounds of a scheduled 10 rounds.
In the first round, Barrett scored a knockdown over Simion. After 4 rounds, the referee Lee Every halted the fight.

Super Bantam Claudio Grande, 5-1 (3), #121 ½, Massa, Toscana, IT, lost to southpaw Hopey Price, 5-0 (1), #123 ¾, of Leeds, UK, over 6 rounds.

In the first three rounds, Price, the taller of the two, and southpaw countered the aggressive Grande. In the sixth round, Price countered Grande with a left on the chin for a knockdown as the final bell sounded.

Referee Mark Bates scored 58-55 and this writer 59-54.

Ring Announcer David Diamante.