Boxing News Boxing News
It was a great night of Boxing at Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena Saturday night when Frank Warren hosted a fight-night featuring three Title Fights, although not all three Title bouts went well for the home-fighter.
WBO Light Heavyweight Titlist – Nathan Cleverly of Cefn Fforest suffered his first defeat at the hands of Russian-born Sergey Kovalev by fourth round TKO after being on the canvas twice in round three.
Ovill McKenzie of Derby lost out to Enzo Maccarinelli of Swansea by eleventh round stoppage in their re-match and McKenzie’s defence of the Commonwealth (British Empire) Light-Heavyweight Title.
And Cardiff’s Gary Buckland suffered a brutal knockdown in the fifth round against Stephen ‘Swifty’ Smith of Liverpool. Smith wins the British Super-featherweight Title.
Nathan Cleverly (Cefn Fforest, Wales) v Sergey Kovalev (Fort Lauderdale via Russia)
WBO Light Heavyweight Title (12×3)
By the time these two men came to the ring – the atmosphere in the Motorpoint Arena was overwhelming. The crowds stood for the national anthems of Russia and Wales then fighting commenced.
It was a busy start from both men in the first half minute of the opener but confident Kovalev soon began letting go a steady flow of shots with great accuracy. He unloads a barrage of shots in the first minute of round two but has sustained a cut to the right eye. After retrieving his gumshield – fighting resumes. Inside the last half minute of the frame – Clev lands a right to the head of the Russian and the Cardiff crowd cheer.
Cleverly looks to be blowing after the first two rounds. Kovalev lands a left to the face of Cleverly just inside the closing minute of round three and after further punches the Cardiff man goes to the canvas. Moments later he is down again and he looks unsteady, stumbling over once fighting resumes. There’s confusion as Referee Terry O’Connor steps in to grab Cleverly but the bell signals the end of the round just at that moment.
They come out for the fourth round but Cleverly is under pressure from the start and wobbles as Kovalev lands a swinging left. Both hands touch the canvas and the Cardiff man looks like he’s not fit to continue as Referee O’Connor steps in again – this time to wave the contest off.
Kovalev wins the WBO Light-Heavyweight Title and Cleverly loses not just his belt – but also his perfect record.
Kovalev’s record improves to 22 wins (20 by KO) no losses 1 draw
Cleverly drops to 26 wins (12 by KO) 1 loss (1 by KO)
Ovill McKenzie (Derby) v Enzo Maccarinelli (Swansea, Wales)
Commonwealth (British Empire) Light Heavyweight Title (12×3)
Big ‘banger’ – Ovill ‘The Upsetter’ looked happy and confident as he got in to the ring while the Challenger Maccarinelli looked edgy as he waited with trainer Gary Lockett.
It was a fast and furious start with McKenzie looking to land a right ‘bomb’. A close opening round and I’m sure no-one expected it would go eleven rounds. To me it was a yo-yo fight, first one would look to have the edge – then the other. It went virtually ‘back and to’ throughout the rounds.
Maccarinelli sustained a graze to the right eye in round three. His head rocks back as McKenzie lands a left mid-way through the fifth.
In the sixth, a body shot from Maccarinelli causes McKenzie to step backwards in the closing minute.
A big right lands to Maccarinelli’s head in the seventh and it snaps back two or three times as McKenzie keeps up the pressure. Maccarinelli is forced to ease off as he takes time to recover. It’s a good round for McKenzie and the Cardiff man looks tired as he goes back to his corner.
But again, the balance is tipped as Maccarinelli has a good ninth round.
McKenzie is under pressure in the eleventh frame when a left followed by an uppercut lands and the Derby man appears to sink – still standing but bent over. Referee Phil Edwards stops the contest and Enzo Maccarinelli celebrates.
It was a great all-action fight!
Enzo Maccarinelli’s record now stands at 37 wins (28 by KO) 6 losses
Ovill McKenzie’s record is now 21 wins (9 by KO) 12 losses
Gary Buckland (Cardiff, Wales) v Stephen Smith (Liverpool)
BBBofC British Super-Featherweight Title (12×3)
This fight got off to a scrappy start and Referee Mark Green was forced to tell them to ‘tidy it up’ in the opening round. For most of the five rounds – Smith is on the back foot with Buckland driving forward.
Smith lands a right in the first half minute of the fourth round and Buckland has to hold on. Smiths’ Trainer – Joe Gallagher, implores his charge to ‘Box!’ Buckland sustains a cut to the right eye in this round.
In the fifth, Buckland throws a left jab and as he does – Smith lands a beauty of an uppercut which floors the Cardiff man. He lay face down on the canvas and was tended to by medics while Team Smith delayed celebrations. Thankfully, after an anxious few minutes – Buckland stands up for the official decision.
Smith wins by fifth round knockout to claim the British Super-Featherweight Title. His Brothers were there to congratulate him in the ring.
Smith improves to 17 wins (10 by KO) 1 loss (1 by KO)
Buckland’s record now stands at 27 wins (9 by KO) 3 losses (2 by KO)
Ronnie Heffron (Oldham) v Max Maxwell (Birmingham)
6 x 3 Light Middleweight Contest
Heffron wins on points 59-55 and improves to 13 wins (5 by KO) 1 loss (1 by KO)
Maxwell drops to 16 wins (3 by KO) 24 losses (2 by KO) 3 draws
Liam Williams (Clydach, Wales) v Darren Codona (Guildford)
8 x 3 Middleweight Contest
Williams wins on points 80-72. He improves to 8 wins (3 by KO).
Codona drops to 6 wins (1 by KO) 2 losses
Lewis Rees (Tonypandy, Wales) v Dee Mitchell (Birmingham)
8 x 3 Welterweight Contest
Rees improves to 8 wins (3 by KO)
Mitchells record now stands at 9 wins (2 by KO) 41 losses (2 by KO) and 1 draw
Craig Evans (Blackwood, Wales) v Youssef Al Hamidi (Dewsbury)
8 x 3 Lightweight Contest
Evans wins on points 80-73. He improves to 10 wins (3 by KO) no losses.
Al Hamidi drops to 12 wins (1 by KO) 57 losses (2 by KO) and 3 draws
Danni Griffiths (Debutant) (Bridgend, Wales) v Courtney Richards (Debutant)(Plymouth)
4 x 3 Cruiserweight Contest
A closely fought contest for these two debutants and bloody for Richards (!) who sustained a nose injury.
Richards secures the win on points 39-38
Aled Cook (Debutant) (Maesteg, Wales) v Kieron Gray (Telford)
4 x 3 Middleweight Contest
‘Cookie’ secured a points win 40-36 in his first pro-outing.
Gray’s record stands at 5 wins (1 by KO) 19 losses (3 by KO) and 1 draw
Rhys Evans (Debutant) (Blackwood, Wales) v Matt Seawright (Tamworth)
4 x 3 Light Welterweight
A messy fight for debutant Evans who gets off the mark with a points win 40-36
Seawright’s record now stands at 5 wins 80 losses (14 by KO) and 5 draws
