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In a bumper Christmas Fight-night at Leeds First Direct Arena, Saturday night, Stuart Hall of Darlington won the vacant IBF Bantamweight Title by Unanimous Points decision (117-110; 117-110; 116-111) over South-African Vusi Malinga. The thrilling but gruelling contest saw ‘Stuey’ bravely battle through the last two rounds with his left eye closed by a bruised swelling and cut above.
Also on the Dennis Hobson and Queensberry Promotions show billed as ‘Redemption’, Birmingham’s Frankie Gavin won a ten round Light-Middleweight Contest by outpointing (99-92) Bradley Pryce of Newbridge, Wales.
Paul McCloskey of Dungiven, Northern Ireland, lost out to Dave Ryan of Derby on points (77-75) despite Ryan being on the canvas in round four from a body-shot.
And Femi Fehintola of Bradford lost out to Gary Sykes of Dewsbury on points (80-73). Sykes fights Liam Walsh for the vacant British Super-Featherweight Title in February.
Results:
Stuart Hall v Vusi Malinga
After a steady round one, Hall ‘goes after’ Malinga as the bell signals the start of the second frame. Stuey piles on the pressure before settling back in to a steady work-rate. A swinging left from the Darlington man lands in the closing half minute of the round but Malinga stands firm.
In the opening seconds of round three, Malinga goes down from a right shot that lands bang on the button. He takes the count and fighting resumes with Hall upping the pressure. There’s huge, rousing support for Hall. Swinging shots skim over the top of Malinga’s head and Hall keeps up the right to the face. Malinga’s nose is bloody by the end of the round.
Malinga’s right jab is relentless. Hall lands with rights and lefts then dips and rolls to avoid Malinga. Both mens’ left eyes start to mark up by the end of the fourth as both land more frequently with the right.
‘Watch the heads!’ Referee Phil Edwards warns both boxers (again) as they start the seventh. Hall finishes the round strongly and holds his gloves aloft before returning to his corner as if to say ‘that was my round!’
Malinga has a cut to the right brow and Hall also starts to dab at his left eye in round eight. He has a cut to add to the now ballooning left eye.
Malinga lays on the pressure in round nine and Hall is struggling to see from the left eye which is closing rapidly. He digs in during the final round and wins the Title on points.
Lewis Taylor (Dronfield) v Max Maxwell (Birmingham)
8 x 3 Middleweight Contest
Taylor wins on points 80-73
Atif Shafiq (Rotherham) v Ibrar Riyaz (Reading)
6 x 3 Lightweight Contest
Shafiq stops Riyaz in the closing minute of round 1. Shafiq was piling on the shots with Riyaz failing to return with shots of his own. Shafiq by Round 1 TKO.
Lewis Rees (TonyPandy, Wales) v Krzysztof Szot (Poland)
8 x 3 Welterweight Contest
Rees wins on points 80-72
Justin Newell (Leeds) v William Warburton (Atherton)
6 x 3 Welterweight Contest
Newell wins on points 60-54
China Clarke (Leeds) v Courtney Richards (Plymouth)
4 x 3 Cruiserweight Contest
Clarke gets the points win 40-37
Steven Mennell (Armley, Leeds) v Dee Mitchell (Birmingham)
4 x 3 Light Middleweight Contest
Mennell wins on points 40-36
Chris Healey (Stockport) v Elvis Dube (Derby)
4 x 3 Cruiserweight Contest
Healey wins on points 40-36
