Boxing News Boxing News
Ryan Rhodes and Denton Vassell both scored impressive inside the distance on Hatton Promotions Christmas dinner bash at Manchester’s Palace Hotel on Saturday.
Local fighter Vassell stretched his unbeaten winning record to 16 stopping Brazilian Welson Alves de Oliveira in the third round. The South American held his own in the first round, but couldn’t handle the Commonwealth welterweight champion’s power.
Although he wasn’t floored referee Steve Gray had seen enough after 56 seconds of round three when he turned away grimacing and pawing at his face.
In another scheduled eight rounder southpaw Ryan Rhodes stopped another Brazilian Rocky Junior, after 2 minutes 28 second of round two.
The import was floored twice during the round forcing Gray to step in to save him from further punishment.
Sheffield’s Rhodes, 34, has now won 45 of his 49 contests and is set to challenge for a version of the world light-middleweight title in the first half of 2011.
In the show opener Commonwealth flyweight champion Chris Edwards had a tougher time than his Hatton Promotions stablemates, but was too busy for Middlesbrough’s Francis Croes taking a clear 40-37 points win. Edwards who is much better than his 15-14-3 record suggests will defend his title early next year.
The sell-out event raised money for several local charities with the main beneficiary Willow Wood Hospice.
Among the famous at the gala event was Hatton Promotions head Ricky Hatton, Anthony Crolla, Gary Buckland, Steve Foster Jr, Scott Lawton, Martin Murray, Scott Quigg, Mark Thompson, Matty Askin, Rhys Roberts and Prince Arron.
