Itauma controls fight and stops Franklin in round five; Warburton, Hutchinson also win
Moses Itauma overwhelmed Jermaine Franklin and forced a fifth-round stoppage in a one-sided heavyweight fight that never settled into anything competitive.
Itauma controlled range from the start with faster hands and heavier shots, then ended it in round five with a right hook, a follow-up left that had Franklin hurt, and a left uppercut that left him out on his feet before he fell face-first.
Franklin’s durability carried him through the early rounds, but the power gap was clear throughout, and the finish confirmed the mismatch.
Gerome Warburton beat Nathan Heaney by unanimous decision over 10 rounds, with scores of 98-92, 97-93, and 97-93. Warburton kept distance and landed the cleaner punches, while Heaney came forward but couldn’t get much done.
Heaney came out with plenty of pressure and had some early success, but he found it difficult to cut off the ring, and his output dipped in the later stages. The fight reached the final bell without any knockdowns, leaving Warburton as the deserved winner on the cards.
Willy Hutchinson (20-2, 14 KOs) defeated Ezra Taylor by unanimous decision over 10 rounds in their light heavyweight fight. Hutchinson controlled the action with movement and sharp counters, pulling clear on the scorecards. The scores 99-91 and 98-92 x 2
Brad Pauls scored a ninth-round stoppage of Shakiel Thompson in their 10-round middleweight fight. Thompson controlled the early rounds behind his jab and reach, landing clean shots while Pauls worked to close the distance. Pauls kept pressing and began to take over, breaking Thompson down with sustained pressure as the fight went on.
Liam Davies won the vacant European featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Francesco Grandelli. Over 12 rounds, Davies applied steady pressure and threw more punches, keeping Grandelli on the defensive.
Lightweight Josh Holmes (18-0, 7 KOs) knocked out Alex Murphy in the first round of their 10-round fight. Holmes ended it early with a decisive shot that dropped Murphy, who was unable to recover. The referee stopped the contest immediately with no need for scorecards.
Michael Gomez Jr (22-2, 7 KOs) stopped Jordan Flynn in the third round of their 10-round lightweight fight. Gomez took control early and turned the fight in round three, cutting Flynn and rocking him with a left hook before following up with sustained punches. The referee stepped in to halt the contest as Flynn absorbed heavy shots.
Nelson Birchall (11-0, 8 KOs) stopped Ryan Griffiths in the ninth round of their 10-round featherweight fight. Birchall had control for most of the fight, landing the better shots while Griffiths held on through the middle rounds. A left hand in round nine led to a follow-up attack that brought the referee in to stop the fight.
