Boxing News Boxing News
© Jane Warburton / Saddo Boxing
Thursday night at the Dublin City University in Ireland, Frank Maloney hosted a fight night billed as ʽOut to Conquer the World!ʼ which would showcase Irish Olympic Bronze Medal winner Darren Sutherland in his first professional contest.
Also on the bill – Rendall Munroe defended his European Super Bantamweight title against Italyʼs Fabrizio Trotta and Jason Booth defended his Commonwealth Bantamweight title against Sean Hughes.
The ʽBoxing Binmanʼ – Rendall Munroe – entered the ring wearing his trademark luminous green tabbard. A smattering of the reflective jackets could be seen around the University Sports Hall as some of Munroeʼs fans had made the trip across to Ireland. Even Rendallʼs father sitting ringside was wearing the same Binman-style tabbard over his suit.
A smiley Trotta – nicknamed ʽPopeyeʼ – was keen to introduce himself to Munroe but ʽ2Toneʼ was keeping focussed in the corner.
As the bell signals the start of the contest, Trotta gets straight to work. Keeping up a busy work-rate, the Italian – who is much smaller than Munroe – gives the Leicester man a tough first round.
Trotta wants to touch gloves again at the start of round two, but Munroe snubs him and someone from the crowd shouts ʽHit him!ʼ while Trotta is offering his glove.
A left to the body causes Trotta to topple back against the ropes in the first minute of round two. Both men lock together midway through the round and as referee Erkki Meronen shouts ʽbreak!ʼ, Trotta punches Munroe and the crowds boo their disapproval. Munroe starts to land shots to the body of Trotta this round. Trotta sustains a nick under the left eye.
In the first minute of round three, Munroe tucks in tight against Trottaʼs barrage of shots – which land mostly on the gloves. Munroe ʽshovesʼ off his opponent and referee Meronen gestures to him that shoving isnʼt allowed.
Itʼs another tough round for Munroe but he lands a lovely right uppercut in the closing seconds of the frame that wins cheers from the British contingent. Again, the Italian throws a ʽpartingʼ shot after the bell and Munroe turns to ʽglareʼ at him.
Munroe works at the body-punches during the fourth round and Trotta clearly ʽfeelsʼ them. By the end of round four Sky Sports statistics reveal that Munroe has landed 47 body-shots as opposed to 11 by the Italian.
Munroe gets straight to the body as they begin round five, but referee Meronen tells Munroe to ʽkeep them upʼ. Trotta starts to look tired as Munroe digs in the body-shots. Trotta throws a right uppercut which looks to land on Munroe’s arm and immediately Trotta shouts out in pain. Referee Meronen wanders across the ring to the ringside doctor but Trotta cannot continue. Trotta retires round five.
Munroe improves to 17-1 (8).
Afterward, Frank Maloney said they were looking at a February date for Munroe’s clash against Spaniard Kiko Martinez. The fight is to be held in the U.K. but not in Nottingham!
The entire sports hall is then stood on their feet awaiting the entrance of popular Darren ʽDazʼ Sutherland.Bulgarian opponent Georgi Iliev stood quietly in his corner while Sutherland entered the ring amidst flag-bearing ladies and irish-green clad team.
Iliev comes out fighting right from the bell but Sutherland lands an ʼopenʼ swinging left to the face of the Bulgarian in the opening seconds. A right to the body of Iliev causes him to step backwards and – seizing his opportunity – Sutherland throws in a straight left to the face and already Iliev looks hurt and bloodied from a cut on the right cheek bone.
Looking for a big shot – Iliev throws a swinging left but it misses its target. Sutherland lands a left followed by a right to the body. Seconds later the Irish-man lands a big right and left to the head of the Bulgarian then another left which rocks back the head of Iliev then again and again.
The jab is relentless and powerful, but a big right to the ribs followed by a left to the mid-section of Ilievs body can be heard around ringside and Iliev is bent over as he takes a big right to the face, toppling back against the ropes and the referee steps in to call a halt to the contest.
Darren Sutherland wins in impressive style over Georgi Iliev in round one of his pro debut. Sky Stats show that Sutherland landed 26 of 45 punches giving a 57% success rate.
An interesting clash came in the super bantamweight division. Martin Power of Camden Town was back after a break of 13 months and faced St. Helens Boxer Gary Davies.
Davies came out really fired-up for the fight – more so than Iʼve personally ever seen him. And quickly gets to work snapping out the left jab and hook to the face of Power. Itʼs a great start for Davies, who lands a right to the chin of Power and the Londoner doesnʼt look at ease in the first half of the round but starts to settle in during the last half minute.
Midway through round two – Davies offloads a barrage of shots starting with a right to the face and Power is ʼpowerlessʼ on the ropes as shots to both head and body rain in from a determined Davies.
The pressure continues and Davies lands a peach of an uppercut forcing Power into the corner with more shots until the referee steps in to stop the fight with a minute and twenty seconds of round two remaining.
A jubilant Gary Davies wins by TKO round two and improves to 8-2-1 (6).
Other results include:
Paul Hyland (Dublin) v Eugene Heaney (Huddersfield)
6 round super bantamweight contest
Hyland wins on points. His record now stands at 13-1 (4).
Kiko Martinez (Spain) v Gheorgie Ghiompirica (Romania)
6 round super bantamweight contest
Martinez wins on points. His record now stands at 20-1 (15).
Willie Thompson (Belfast) v Karl Chiverton (Mansfield)
4 round light middleweight contest
Draw
Luke Wilton (Belfast) v Usman Ahmed (Derby)
4 round bantamweight contest
Ahmed wins on points. His record now stands at 4-1-1.
