By Ken Hissner: At Sheffield Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire, UK, Saturday over DAZN promoter Eddie Hearn (Matchroom Boxing) presented in the Main Event WBA World Featherweight champion Leigh ’Leigh-thal’ Wood well behind landed a miracle punch dropping former two-time IBF Featherweight champion Josh ‘Leeds Warrior’ Warrington in the seventh round being stopped by the referee at the bell.
In the co-main event, WBA Super Welterweight champion Terri Harper and former WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO, and IBF World Welterweight champion Cecilia ‘First Lady’ Braekhus, ended in a majority draw for the vacant WBO World Super Welterweight title with Harper getting one vote and two even.
In the Main Event WBA World Feather champ Leigh ‘Leigh-thal’ Wood, 28-3 (17), #125 ¾, of Gedling, Nottinghamshire, UK, stopped former two-time IBF Feather champ Josh ‘Leeds Warrior’ Warrington, 31-3-1 (8), #125 ¼, of Leeds, Yorkshire, UK, at the end of the seventh round of a scheduled 12 rounds.
In the first round midway point, Warrington rocked Wood with a right on the chin. Wood turned southpaw the rest of the round. In the second round, Warrington outfought Wood inside. In the third round, Warrington landed a low punch and was warned by Referee Michael Alexander. He continued to outwork Wood.
In the fourth round, Wood turned back to orthodox and dominated the round until the final seconds when a Warrington left hook opened up a cut on the right eyebrow of Wood. In the fifth round, Warrington took over, outfighting Wood on the inside.
In the sixth round, Warrington continued roughing up the champion Wood. In the seventh round, Referee Alexander took a point from Warrington for hitting behind the head of Wood. In the seventh round, well behind Wood landed a right hook followed by a barrage of punches, having Warrington out on his feet as he hit the canvas for an 8-count from referee Alexander. As Warrington wobbled to the corner, the fight was halted.
After six rounds, Warrington had won five of them. As Wood’s title was escaping him, he landed a ‘miracle’ punch, pulling out the one-sided fight to retain his title!
In the Co-Main Event WBA Super Welter champ Terri ‘Belter’ Harper, 14-1-2 (6), #150 ½, of Denaby Main, Yorkshire, UK, ended in a majority draw with former WBA, WBC, WBO, IBO and IBF Welter champ ‘First Lady of Boxing’ Colombian Cecilia Braekhus, 37-2-1 (9), #154, of Bergen, NOR, over 10×2 rounds, for the vacant WBO World Super Welter title.
The first three rounds were close as Braekhus had a slight edge, being busier in the first two. In the fourth and fifth round, Harper had the edge with her left hook.
In the sixth round, the taller Braekhus outworked Harper a bit. In the seventh round, Harper came out, landing a solid left on the chin of Braekhus, and had a good round. In the eighth and ninth rounds, the harder puncher Braekhus overcame the faster Harper in a fight too close to call.
In the tenth and final round, both had their moments with the fight on the line, as Harper may have taken the round if not the fight. Referee Steve Gray.
Scores were 97-93 Harper, 95-95 twice, as did KH.
Kieron ‘Too Class’ Conway, 20-3-1 (5), #159 ½, of Northampton, UK, stopped former British champ Nigerian ‘Lightning’ Linus Udofia, 18-2 (9), #159 ½, of Luton, UK, at 02 of round six of a scheduled 12 rounds, for the vacant WBA Int’l Middle title and British eliminator.
After dropping the first two rounds, Udofia did enough to outwork Conway in the third and fourth rounds, mainly with a jab. In the fifth round, Conway landed a left hook to the right cheek of Udofia that started the swelling that by the end of the round had the right eye of Udofia nearly closed. As the bell sounded to start the sixth round, the ring doctor was called in and advised Referee Howard Foster to call a halt.
WBA Continental Feather champ southpaw Hopey Price, 12-0 (5), #125 ¼, of Leeds, Yorkshire, UK, stopped southpaw Connor Coghill, 14-1 (1), #125 ½, of Hull, Yorkshire, UK, at 1:29 of the twelfth and final round for the WBA Continental title and the eliminator for the vacant British title.
In the second round, a lead left from Coghill hit Price between the eyes and almost knocked him down as his legs wobbled at the midway point of the round. Price was able to re-coup and get through the round.
In the third round, Coghill continued being the harder puncher while Price landed more with his jab. In the fourth round, Price came back well, landing his best punch, a right hook on the chin of Coghill at the bell.
In the sixth round’s final seconds, Coghill missed with a left while Price countered with a right and left on the chin, dropping Coghill for an 8-count from Referee Bob Williams with seconds left in the round.
In the eleventh round’s final seconds, Price dropped Coghill with a left over the top, dropping him and hitting him while down as referee Williams continued doing a poor job not acknowledging the punch after the knockdown, giving an 8-count.
In the twelfth and final round, Price dropped Coghill with a left for an 8-count from referee Williams a minute into the round. Seconds later, a pair of body shots followed by a combination to the chin from Price and down went Coghill as referee Williams waved it off.
21-year-old two-time National Amateur champion Super Welter southpaw ‘Star Boy’ Junaid Bostan, 7-0 (6), #155 ¾, of Rotherham, Yorkshire, UK, impressed in stopping Core McCullouch, 7-4-1 (2), #155, of Arbroath, Scotland, UK, at 2:07 of round six of a scheduled eight rounds.
In the first round, Bostan controlled the action at orthodox mostly with his jab, and halfway through the round switched to his natural southpaw. McCullouch landed one effective punch in the final minute, a right to the mid-section of Bostan. In the third round, after a minute, Bostan rocked McCullouch with a lead left on the chin. McCullouch returned fire with a counter right.
In the fifth round, both of Bostan’s cheeks had marks on them while McCullouch kept wiping at his left eyebrow. In the sixth round, Bostan drew blood from the nose of McCullouch in the first minute. A little after midway in the round, Bostan landed over a dozen unanswered punches without return when referee Alexander wisely called a halt.
Super Bantam Nico Leivars, 5-0-1 (0), #123 ½, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, UK, defeated Ryan Walker, 12-6 (3), #123, of Newham, London, UK, over eight rounds.
Referee Howard Foster scored 79-73 for Leivars.
Super Feather Cameron Vuong, 1-0 (1), #137 ½, of Blyth, Northumberland, UK, stopped Engel ‘El Cohete’ Gomez, 8-19-1 (4), #138, of Chinandega, NIC, in the fourth round of a scheduled six rounds.
Bantam Koby ‘Leeds Pocket Rocket’ McNamara, 6-0 (0), #117 ¾, of Leeds, Yorkshire, UK, defeated Francisco ‘Tritos’ Rodriguez, 1-18 (4), #118 ¾, of Alfacar, Andalucia, SP, over six rounds.
In the sixth round, McNamara scored a knockdown
Referee Howard Foster scored 60-53.
Ring Announcer David Diamante