Boxing News Boxing News
Middleweight Matthew Macklin recaptured the European title he never lost in the ring by stopping Shalva Jormadashvili Saturday night at LG Arena in Birmingham, England.
Macklin, 27-2 (19), took the fight to the visitor from Georgia, but Jormadashvili, 27-3-1 (19), appeared to relish an old fashioned slugfest as the pair traded shots on a generally even basis.
The local man’s emphasis on body shots proved to be the difference however as the challenger was a beaten fighter by the fifth and did not come out for the sixth frame.
Macklin is now in his second reign as European champion and could be in line for a world title clash.
Ex-European light heavy king Nathan Cleverly, 20-0 (10), produced his seventh early finishing on the bounce by seeing off former European super middle titlist Karo Murat, 22-1 (13), by a ninth round referee stoppage.
Cleverly was in top form throughout and with the win, the Welshman will now fight for the WBO title as this bout was an eliminator for the the mandatory challenger position.
Former WBO cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli, 32-5 (25), lost his European crown when knocked out in seven by undefeated challenger Alexander Frankel, 23-0 (18).
Ex-world title challenger Lukas Konecny, 45-3 (22), proved to be too experienced for former Commonwealth beltholder Matthew Hall, 23-3 (16), as the Czech veteran stopped the Mancunian in the seventh to annex the vacant European light middleweight strap.
In a bad blood rematch, British heavyweight champ Derek Chisora, 14-0 (9), took the Commonwealth crown from Sam Sexton, 13-2 (6), via ninth round TKO.
British welter champ Kell Brook, 22-0 (15), halted one of that belt’s former owners, Michael Jennings, 36-3 (17), in the fifth during a bout that was also for the WBO Intercontinental trophy.
Super middle James DeGale, 8-0 (6), shocked the more seasoned Carl Dilks, 14-3 (5), with a first round stoppage for the WBA International bauble while light welter Frankie Gavin, 8-0 (7), ended the ambitions of Michael Kelly, 8-2-1 (2), for the Irish title.
Highly touted ex-Commonwealth super flyweight titlist Don Broadhurst, 11-2 (3), suffered a shocking 12 round points loss to Najah Ali, 4-2 (1), for the vacant International Masters bantam belt.
