Boxing News Boxing News
At the packed Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield, last night, local man Kell Brook scored a fourth round stoppage of Ukrainian Vyacheslav Senchenko to win the IBF welterweight title eliminator.
Both men got off to a tentative start targeting their opponent with the left, but ‘The Special One’ Brook – picks up the pace in round two and Senchenko is on the back foot. Brook pressures Senchenko at the end of the round and scores with a couple of decent head shots.
Brook’s confidence has increased as he starts the third round – landing head-shots more frequently while Senchenko starts to unravel.
With just over a minute of round three remaining, Senchenko is on the canvas and once fighting resumes – does his best to escape Brooks’ shots. A couple of clubbing rights from Brook have an effect and Senchenko ‘just’ survives the round.
Mid-way through the fourth and Senchenko catches Brook with a right to the head and the Sheffield man takes a step back on to the ropes but regains composure within seconds. Both men have success this round but in the last thirty seconds Brook snaps out a left to the head of his opponent who looks stunned momentarily. Brook ‘goes in’ with a number of shots and another right-left sends Senchenko to the canvas with approximately twenty seconds remaining of round four. Senchenko gets up for the count but is unsteady and New York Referee Shada Murdaugh stops the contest.
Brook retains his unbeaten record, now 31 wins of 31 fights (21 by KO).
Also on the Eddie Hearn – Matchroom Boxing promoted fight-night, Blackpool’s Brian ‘The Lion’ Rose won the WBO light-middleweight eliminator by split decision over Argentinian Javier Maciel.
Rose improves to 25 wins (7 by KO) 1 loss (1 by KO) and 1 draw.
Callum Smith of Liverpool won the vacant WBC International Super-Middleweight Title by fifth round KO over Ruben Eduardo Acosta of Argentina. Acosta was down twice in round five. Smith gets his ninth win of nine with seven by KO.
Adam Etches of Sheffield made quick work of Brazilian Alexandre Mendes to win the vacant IBF Youth Super-Middleweight Title. Mendes retired at the end of round one. Etches adds another victory to his unbeaten record 13 wins (11 by KO).
And, Watford’s Anthony Joshua, MBE, won a six round Heavyweight Contest by second round TKO when Paul Butlin of Melton Mowbray suffered a nasty cut to the left eye.
In the opening minute of the contest – Butlin spent much of his time defending himself from Joshua’s shots which were fast and frequently targeted the head, sneaking between Butlin’s high guard at times.
After this first minute, Butlin starts to throw lefts to the head of his opponent and lands a clubbing right. But Joshua’s shots were clearly powerful and inside the first thirty seconds of round two – a left followed by a huge right sends Butlin to the canvas his left eye cut. Fighting resumes but seconds later, Referee Howard Foster stops the contest as Butlin was struggling to see. At the same moment – Butlin’s corner threw in the towel.
Joshua gets his second pro-win of two by TKO.
