In the main event, former WBO interim light heavyweight champion Joshua Buatsi (20-1 (13 KOs) won a 10-round majority decision over Zach Parker (26-2, 18 KOs) to win the WBA International 175-lb title on Saturday night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.
(Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)
In the first three rounds, Parker outworked Buatsi. In the fourth round, Buatsi came back in a close round.
In the fifth round, it was another close one. In the sixth round, it was Buatsi’s jab against the power punching of Parker. In the seventh round, Parker would land punches and fall into a clinch with Buatsi. It was another close round. In the eighth round, Parker is running out of gas and has fallen to the canvas twice, getting a warning from referee Michael Alexander.
In the eighth and ninth rounds, it was close, with Parker falling to the canvas at times, though Buatsi landed. In the tenth and final round, Parker went down again, but how will the officials see it?
The official scores were 95-95, 96-94, and 96-94.
In the co-feature, EBU light heavyweight champion Bradley Rea (21-2 (10 KOs) lost a 12-round majority decision to the former IBO 175-lb champion Lyndon ‘King’ Arthur (25-3 (16 KOs) in an action-packed fight.
In the second round’s final seconds, Arthur landed a left hook on the chin, dropping Rea for an 8-count from referee Kieran McCann. It was Arthur who had swelling under his right eye at the end. In the third and fourth, Rea had his way. In the fifth round, it was Arthur rebounding. In the sixth round, the fighters fought on even terms.
In the seventh round, it was all Arthur as he outlanded his younger opponent. In the eighth round, both had their moments, giving the fans their money’s worth. In the ninth round, Arthur seems to continue outworking the younger Rea. In the tenth round, Arthur had the nose of Read bleeding as he took another round.
In the eleventh round, Rea continues to fight southpaw, trying to stop the offense of Arthur, who isn’t having it. In the twelfth and final round, it was a competitive round, but it looked like Arthur had done the upset against the younger Rea.
The scores were 114-114, 115-113, and 115-112 for Arthur.
Liam Cameron (24-7-1 (10 KOs) beat the former English champion Troy Jones (13-2 (6) KOs) by a 10-round unanimous decision to win the vacant WBO International light heavyweight title.
In the first three rounds, Jones outworked and outlanded the 35-year-old Cameron, 8 years older than Jones. At the end of the third round, Jones drew blood from the nose of Cameron.
In the fourth round, there is swelling around the left eye of Jones, and Cameron bleeding from the nose is proof of the toughness of this bout. Jones seemed to have an edge. In the fifth round’s midway point, Cameron knocked out Jones’s mouthpiece. In the best round up to this point, Cameron has seemed to turn things around.
At the midway point of the sixth round, Cameron drew blood from the nose of Jones, having his best round. In the final seconds, Jones landed a low blow, which the referee Marcus McDonnell warned about. In the seventh round, Cameron had another good, not his best, round in an all-action round. In the eighth round, it was another close one with Cameron possibly pulling it out.
In the ninth round, Jones suffered a cut between his left eye and nose. Cameron seems to have made it close, if not pulling it out, with his strong late-round finishes. In the tenth and final round, the fans showed their appreciation with the action by both fighters having given the fans plenty to root for. Both embraced one another at the end, awaiting the decision.
The scores were 97-93, 96-94, and 96-94.
Light heavyweight Billy ‘Turkish Tyson’ Deniz (14-0 (5 KOs) beat Ezra Arenyeka, ‘aka The African King’ (14-2 (11 KOs) by an eight-round points decision.
Both Arenyeka’s and Deniz’s ten of fourteen opponents had non-winning records.
In the first round, after a minute without a punch being thrown due to Arenyeka running around the ring, referee Steve Gray brought both fighters to the middle of the ring to encourage them to start fighting. At the end of the round, Deniz landed several body shots. In the second round, Arenyeka finally stopped running with a minute remaining, having Deniz outland him the rest of the round. In the third roun,d the fast hands of Arenyeka after a minute landed a right on the chin of Deniz. The rest of the way, Deniz had his way.
In the fourth round, a head-butt from Arenyeka opened a cut on the fight eyebrow of Deniz a minute into the round. Arenyeka stopped running and stood with Deniz, who outlanded him.
In the fifth round, Deniz continued outworking Arenyeka despite a ring commentator being pro-Arenyeka. Midway, a fight finally happened. Deniz finished the round with a flurry, having Arenyeka in a corner. In the sixth round, Arenyeka continued to press forward with little offense, as Deniz countered him effectively, taking another round.
In the seventh round’s midway point, Deniz landed ten unanswered punches, mostly left uppercuts. At the end of the round, Deniz hurt Arenyeka with a combination to the head. In the eighth and final round, Deniz showed his footwork as he went backwards countering. In the final seconds, Deniz landed a flurry of punches, having Arenyeka fall into a clinch. It looked like a shutout for Deniz.
Referee Steve Gray scored 79-74, which seemed closer than it was in favor of Deniz.
Middleweight Stephen ‘Stevo’ Clarke, 8-0 (1 KO) defeated Jose ‘El Perro’ Aguirre (2-18 (1) by a six-round points decision.
In the first two rounds, it was all Clarke who had a large following, until a minute remaining when Aguirre landed a left hook to the chin of Clarke, ending both rounds that way. Clarke has only had one of his opponents with a winning record, and Aguirre has only stopped twice. In the fourth round, Aguirre kept coming forward with his hands held high as Clarke countered him throughout, winning another round.
In the sixth and final round, Clarke had his best round, having his way with defensive-minded Aguirre.
Referee John Latham scored it 60-54.
Lightweight Leighton Birchall, 3-0 (2) defeated southpaw Wilbert Panttin (7-5 (4 KOs) by a four-round points decision.
In the second round, both were landing blows with Birchall rocking Panttin in the final seconds of the round with an overhand left to the chin. In the third round, both were landing punches at one another, with Birchall mostly going to the body, having an edge. In the fourth and final round, after 30 seconds, referee John Latham took a point from Birchall for low blows. Panttin then fought Birchall to a standstill, matching him blow for blow.
Referee John Latham scored it 39-36.
Welterweight Luke ‘Iron’ Prior (1-0) defeated tricky Eduardo ‘Blackie’ Vera Sanchez (12-3-2) by a four-round points decision.
In the first round, the much taller Prior had his way until halfway through the round when southpaw Sanchez landed an overhand left, drawing blood from the nose of Prior. In the second round’s halfway point, Prior rocked Sanchez, whose legs buckled, with a right on the chin, having him in a corner.
In the third round’s halfway point, Prior landed a right uppercut that went low, giving Sanchez several minutes rest from referee Steve Gray. Sanchez landed a right cross to Prior’s nose, which has not stopped bleeding. Prior outlanded Sanchez.
In the fourth and final round, Prior continued outworking Sanchez, who was a solid opponent for the debuting Prior.
Referee Steve Gray scored it 40-36.
Super flyweight John Tom Varey (1-0) impressed in defeating Brandon Gallardo ‘El Caballito’ Vargas (3-10-1 (1) by a four-round points decision.
In the first round, Varey swarmed all over Vargas and, with little over a minute remaining, landed a pair of left hooks to the chin of Vargas, buckling his knees. In the second round, Vary added a snapping jab along with a two-handed attack, winning another round. In the third round, with half a minute remaining, Varey dropped Vargas to a knee with a body shot, and Referee Steve Gray gave him an 8-count.
In the fourth and final round, Varey continued his body attack for the most part, winning all four rounds.
Referee Steve Gray scored it 40-36.
Cruiserweight ‘Bad’ Brad Casey (2-0 (1) knocked out Antonio Borovina (2-5) at 1:06 of the first round of a scheduled four rounds.
In the first round, after a minute, a flurry of punches from Casey dropped Borovina, adding a right as Borovina was taking a knee. Referee John Latham didn’t give him a count and warned Casey for the late blow. Seconds later, two jabs and a right from Casey, and down again went Borovina, taking the count from referee Latham on a knee.
Light heavyweight Leon Hughes, 2-0 (2) beat Paval Garaj (9-48-4 (4) by a four-round points decision.
In the first round, after 15 seconds, Hughes rocked Garaj with a right on the chin. In the final minute, Hughes landed a flurry of punches, having Garaj on the ropes. In the fourth and final round, Garaj at times came forward, mixing it up with Hughes.
Referee Steve Gray scored it 40-36.
In the opening bout, super featherweight Jermaine Dhliwayo (8-0 (3 KOs) defeated Caesar Paredes (18-30-1 (5 KOs) by a four-round points decision.
In the second and third rounds, southpaw Dhilwayo stalked for the most part, Paredes around the ring, scoring well with a jab, opening up in the final 30 seconds with both hands. In the fourth and final round, after a minute, Dhilwayo landed a left hook on the chin, rocking Paredes.
Referee John Latham scored it 40-36.
Thomas Treiber was the ring announcer.