By Ken Hissner: At the Manchester Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, UK, Saturday before a large crowd over ESPN+ promoter Benjamin Shalom (Boxxer) and Sky Sports presented in the Main Event a rematch former WBO Super Welterweight Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith was stopped in the tenth round after suffering two knockdowns overall in a lopsided match to former IBO and British champion Chris Eubanks, Jr. Smith should retire.
In the main event rematch, former WBO Super Welter champ Liam ‘Beefy’ Smith, 33-4-1 (20), #160, of Liverpool, Merseyside, UK, was stopped by former IBO World and British champ Chris Eubanks, Jr., 33-3 (24), #159.3, of Brighton, Sussex, UK, at 1:45 of the tenth round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first round, there were a dozen clinches causing Referee Kevin Parker to be busier than the boxers, to the disappointment of the large crowd. In the second round, Smith, in a ‘peek-a-boo’ defense, hardly threw a punch as Eubank used a good jab and pushed Smith to the canvas just before the bell. The third round was almost identical except without Smith hitting the canvas though pushed.
Twenty seconds into the fourth round, a right uppercut from Eubank on the chin dropped Smith for an 8-count. Eubank left Smith off the hook while Smith never landed a punch the rest of the way.
In the fifth round, Eubank had Smith against the ropes slipping most punches but throwing nothing back as referee Parker took a close look at stopping it.
In the sixth round, the only decent moment Eubank landed a right to the body followed by a left hook to the head midway into the round. In the ninth round, Eubank landed the final dozen punches as Smith continued holding his gloves up to his face doing absolutely nothing.
In the tenth round, Eubank dropped Smith with a flurry of punches for an 8-count from referee Parker. As Eubank had Smith against the ropes, the referee finally stopped the lopsided fight to the delight of all.
In the chief support bout WBA Continental super light champ ‘The Assassin’ Adam Azim, 9-0 (6), #139, of Slough, Berkshire, UK, easily defeated IBO International champ Aram Faniyan, 23-2 (5), #139, of Brovari, UKR, over ten lopsided rounds.
In the third round, Azim was ahead using a jab for the most part. Faniyan landed a right to the body and a left hook to the head of Azim, knocking Azim off balance with a minute remaining. From the fourth through the sixth round, Azim controlled with little more than a jab.
In the eighth round, Azim finally opened up with both hands chasing Faniyan, who did little more than throw wild left hooks that rarely landed.
In the ninth and tenth rounds, Azim chased Faniyan landing mostly jabs, while Faniyan did little in returning anything. The referee was Michael Alexander.
Scores were 98-92, 100-90, and 99-91, as did KH.
Heavy 2020 Olympic Bronze Medalist ‘Big’ Frazer Clarke, 8-0 (6), #270, of Burton-on-Trent, UK, stopped ‘White Rino’ David Allen, 21-6-2 (18), #257, of Conisbrough, UK, after six foul-filled rounds of a scheduled 10.
In the third round, Clarke kept landing rights to the body of the defensive-minded Allen, then grabbed Allen. In the fifth round, Allen was bleeding from the mouth, and Clarke had a small cut in the outside corner of the left eye. Clark landed several low blows, being warned for that and holding.
In the sixth round, Clarke was deducted two points for low blows. He rocked Allen with rights to the head and again warned for a low blow. At the end of the round, Clarke shoved Allen into the ropes. Allen’s corner stopped the fight at the end of the round due to a perforated ear drum.
Super middle British and Commonwealth champ ‘Kid Dynamite’ Mark Heffron, 29-3-1 (23), #167, of Oldham, Lancashire, UK, lost his titles being stopped by Jack ‘Little Leaver’s Meat Cleaver’ Cullen, 22-4-1 (10), #167, of Little Lever, Lancashire, UK, at 2:43 of the third round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first two rounds, the taller Cullen controlled with his jab for the most part against Heffron.
In the third round, a solid left hook from Cullen on the chin and down went Heffron as Referee Kieran McCann counted to 8. Upon rising seconds later, Heffron fell to the canvas as Referee McCann waved it off.
Welter Florian ‘Albanian King’ Marku, 13-0-1 (8), #146.3, of Lushenje, ALB, London, UK, stopped southpaw Dylan ‘The Real Deal’ Moran, 18-2 (8), #145, of Dungarvan, IRE, at 0:54 of the first round of a scheduled 10. Referee Mark Lyson.
Former 2016 Olympian, Super Feather WBA, WBC, IBF, IBO champ, and now a little over super light Mikaela Mayer, 19-1 (8), #141.3, of Las Vegas, NV, and Woodland Hills, CA, defeated former Euro light champ Silvia Bortot, 11-3-1 (3), #139, of Salgareda, Veneto, IT, over 10×2 rounds.
In the first round, Bortot was the aggressor as Mayer countered with an effective jab taking the round. In the second through the fourth rounds, Mayer worked the body and jab, with Bortot returning punches well but not enough to win a round.
In the fifth round, referee Steve Gray warned Mayer about using the forearm. In the final seconds, Mayer rocked Bortot with a flurry of punches.
In the ninth round’s final seconds, Mayer had Bortot in trouble with a lead right on the chin. In the tenth and final rounds final minute Bortot landed her best punch of the fight, a left hook on the chin of Mayer. Mayer out-landed Bortot every round of the fight. Mayer had a bruise under her right eye at the end.
The score was 100-90 from Referee Gray, as was KH.
Welter 2020 Olympic Gold Medalist southpaw Lauren Price, 5-0 (1), #146.3, of Ystrad Mynach, Wales, UK, won by TD over Lolita ‘Black Diamond’ Muzeya, 18-2 (10), #147.3, of Lusaka, ZAM, at 0:24 of the fifth round of a scheduled 8×2 rounds.
Muzeya was down once and cut over the left eye due to a clash of heads in the fifth round, causing the bout to be halted due to the doctor’s advice.
Light Frankie Stringer, 6-0 (0), #135.3, of Malaga, Andalucia, SP, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK, defeated Christian ‘Chris’ Lopez Flores, 14-28-2 (12), #134, of Culiacan, Sinaloa, MEX, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid, SP, over six rounds.
The referee Mark Lyson scored 60-54