Unbeaten Shabaz ‘Maverick’ Masoud won by split decision over Jose ‘El General’ Sanmartin for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Super Bantamweight title on Saturday night at the Newcastle Arena, Newcastle, Tyne 7 Wear, UK.
(Photo credit: Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing)
In the co-feature, Middleweights Mark ‘Boo Boo’ Dickinson stopped Grant ‘Go-Getter’ Dennis in 5 rounds.
In the Main Event returning after a year Shabaz ‘Maverick’ Masoud, 12-0 (4), won a split decision over Jose ‘El General’ Sanmartin, 34-8-1 (21) over ten rounds, for the vacant WBA Inter-Continental Super Bantam title.
In the first two rounds, Sanmartin followed Masoud around the ring, eating jab after jab. In the third round, Sanmartin got inside at times as both mixed it up.
In the fourth round, Masoud countered Sanmartin in the first action round up to this point.
In the fifth round, the infighting continued, with Masoud having the edge. In the sixth round, backed into a corner, Masoud landed a three-punch combination to the chin of Sanmartin.
At times, he’d turn orthodox before getting warned by referee Howard Foster for using his elbow. In the seventh round, Masoud came out orthodox until the final minute.
He landed solid uppercuts that Sanmartin was walking into from both southpaw and orthodox. In the tenth and final round, it ended up being the best of the fight. Had Masoud pitched a shutout?
The scores were 98-92 Masoud, 96-94 Sanmartin, and 96-94 Masoud. 99-91 KH.
In the co-feature, middleweight Mark ‘Boo Boo’ Dickinson, 6-0 (2), stopped 40-year-old Grant ‘Go-Getter’ Dennis, 18-6 (3) at 1:10 of the fifth round of a scheduled ten rounds, in an English middle eliminator.
In the first round, Dickinson went mostly to the body of the older Dennis. In the final seconds, he started showboating, putting his hands behind his back.
From the second through the fourth, Dickinson continued going to the body and causing a mark in the corner of his left eye.
In the fifth round, a double left to the body from Dickinson and down went Dennis with little effort to get up until the count reached eight. At that point, referee Darren Sarginson saw enough and waved it off.
Super Welterweight southpaw Ewan ‘El Pedro’ Mackenzie, 8-1 (3), was stopped by Ishmael ‘Black Panther’ Davis, 12-0 (6), at 2:44 of the eighth round of a scheduled ten rounds in an English title eliminator.
In the first round, Davis came out southpaw and drew blood from the nose of Mackenzie within a minute of the round, then switched back to orthodox halfway through and again back to southpaw.
In the third round, Mackenzie matches Davis punch for punch but without the power of Davis.
In the fourth round’s final minute, Davis picked up the pace as the blood continued flowing from the nose of Mackenzie. In the fifth round, Davis almost had Mackenzie against the ropes when referee Ron Kearney stepped in twice, warning Davis for kidney punches. This enabled Mackenzie to get off the ropes and back into the fight.
In the sixth round, the left eye of Mackenzie was closing fast while he held his own if not winning the round.
In the seventh round, Mackenzie came back well enough to take the round. In the eighth round, both were mixing it up, with Mackenzie landing the last punch when referee Kearney stepped in and called a halt in favor of Davis at the same time the corner called for a stoppage.
Super Lightweight southpaw Calum French, 4-1 (1), was stopped by Jeffy Ofori, 13-5-2 (4), at 0:32 of the eighth and final round.
In the first three rounds, French outworked Ofori. In the fourth round, Ofori started opening up with wild punches, taking the round.
In the fifth round, Ofori drew blood from the nose and mouth of French, busting him up. In the sixth and seventh rounds, both had their moments banging heads.
In the eighth and final round, French was bleeding under the left eye from a cut when his corner threw in the towel, forcing referee Neil Close to wave it off.
Lightweight Cameron ‘The One’ Vuong, 2-0 (1), defeated John ‘Happy’ Henry Mosqueura, 5-5 (1) over four rounds.
In the first two rounds, Mosqueura did more showboating than fighting. In the last twenty seconds of round two, Vuong landed the first solid punch, a right to the chin of Mosqueura.
In the third round, after a minute, Mosqueura landed his first solid punch, a lead overhand right on the chin of Vuong, who dominated with his jab.
In the fifth round, Vuong went to the body with a jab and a right on the chin of the showboating Mosqueura throughout.
In the sixth and final round, Vuong completed a shutout over showboating Mosqueura.
The scores all score 60-54 and KH. The referee was Dean Milson.
Middleweight Jimmy Sains, 2-0 (2), stopped Jesus Lobeto, 1-3-1 (0) in the second round of a scheduled four rounds. The referee was Ron Kearney.
Light Heavyweight southpaw Ben Rees, 2-0-1 (2), stopped Sadam Moamed De Silva Caetano in the fifth round of a scheduled six rounds.
In the second round, Caetano scored a knockdown for an 8-count from referee Neil Close.
Super Lightweight Owen Rees, 2-0 (2) stopped Konrad Czajkowski, 2-2-1 (1), in the fifth round of a scheduled six rounds. The referee was Dean Wilson.