Boxing News Boxing News
Saturday night, at the Guildhall, Preston, Poxon Sports in association with Neil Marsh Promotions hosted a night of championship boxing for ITV4. It was a great night featuring nine contests and including two title bouts. Robbie Davies Jnr of Kirkby, Merseyside, successfully defended the WBA Continental Super-Lightweight Title by stopping Zoltan Szabo of Budapest in the ninth round. A body-shot floored the Hungarian and he was unable to make the count.
And, Blackpool boxer – Jack Arnfield successfully defended his WBA International Middleweight Title when Mick Hall of Preston was forced to retire in the eleventh round with a huge swelling on his forehead. The fight was billed as ‘The Rematch: Blackpool v Preston’ as the two fought in the Prizefighter tournament in 2014 when Hall lost to Arnfield by a split decision.
Full Results as follows:
Robbie Davies Jnr (Kirkby, Merseyside) v Zoltan Szabo (Budapest)
12 x 3 WBA Continental Super-Lightweight Title
Originally scheduled to face Willie Limond, Davies now faced Hungarian Szabo after Limond pulled out through illness. Szabo debuted in February last year and this (incredibly) was his thirteenth contest (!) and his first twelve rounder.
Both men were busy and toe-to-toe from the off, but the third minute of the sixth round sees Davies land a decent left followed up by more shots as Szabo tries to get away while against the ropes. He is rooted to the spot as Davies offloads more pressure but he sees it out to the bell. Szabo looks sloppy in round seven and Davies lands head and body shots as Szabo slows down.
At the start of round nine Szabo is backed against the ropes again as Davies fires in shots but the Hungarian fights back while against the ropes. In the final minute of the round – Davies lands a peach of a left shot to the body and Szabo is doubled up on the canvas unable to make the count.
Davies Junior retains the WBA Continental Super-Lightweight Title by TKO round 9
Jack Arnfield (Blackpool) v Mick Hall (Preston)
12 x 3 WBA International Middleweight Title
Rangey Arnfield pops out the left jab with regularity while Hall mixes a variety of shots. A swelling starts to appear above Hall’s left brow by the end of the fourth but this wouldn’t be the one that stopped the fight. Arnfield has a mark to the left cheek indicating that some of Hall’s shots are getting through. The distance between the two men works to Arnfield’s advantage but Hall is just off the mark with some of his shots – needing to shorten the distance.
Hall uses the left with success in round six. There’s a swelling that has been increasing in size on Hall’s forehead and it is noticeable in the eighth round. Referee Howard Foster keeps an eye on it but by the tenth it is much larger. Arnfield piles on the pressure and Hall’s head rocks back from the left jab. Hall manages to get closer in the eleventh and catches Arnfield with a right shot that makes the Blackpool man’s knees dip. But Referee Foster stops the contest at the end of the eleventh round because of the swelling on Hall’s forehead.
Arnfield retains the WBA International Middleweight Title by KO Round 9
Undercard Results:
Zach Parker (Woodville, Derbyshire) v Bradley Pryce (Newbridge, Wales)
6 x 3 Super Middleweight Contest
Parker stopped Pryce in round four, Referee Steve Gray deeming him unable to continue.
Parker wins by fourth round TKO.
Thirty six year old ‘Sugar Sweet’ Pryce announced his retirement after the contest.
Nick Webb (Chertsey, Surrey) v Chris Healey (Stockport)
6 x 3 Heavyweight Contest
Healey was floored in round three but got up for the count before being stopped.
Webb wins by TKO round 3
Webb has 9 wins under his belt and has only gone the distance once, stopping all other opponents.
Atif Shafiq (Rotherham) v Andreas Maier (Menden, Germany via Kazakhstan)
6 x 3 Super Lightweight Contest
It took Maier just 42 seconds to stop Shafiq with a head-shot in the opener.
Maier wins by first round TKO
Mark Jeffers (Chorley) v Anthony Fox (Westbury, Wiltshire)
4 x 3 Middleweight Contest
It was a bloody last round for these two who both suffered cuts to the eye/brow in the fourth round.
A close contest with Jeffers nicking it on points 39-38
Nathan Wheatley (Warrington) v Kieron Gray (Telford)
4 x 3 Middleweight Contest
Wheatley gets the win on points 40-36
Joe Wood (Liverpool) v Andrej Cepur (Lithuania via Russia)
4 x 3 Super Welterweight Contest
Wood wins on points 40-36
Bill Hodgson (Preston via Blackpool) v Ferenc Zsalek (Gyor, Hungary)
4 x 3 Heavyweight Contest
Hodgson wins on points 39-38
