Results
Jai Opetaia vs. Jordan Thompson
Jai Opetaia defended his IBF cruiserweight title for the first time at Wembley Arena and it was an emphatic moment when he mercilessly stopped Jordan Thompson in the fourth round of their meeting.
Australia’s Opetaia (23-0, 18 KO) won the title in impressive fashion last July, hurting Mairis Briedis several times en route to a points victory, while Thompson (15-1, 12 KO) came to the title with circumscribed professional and amateur experience, but was ranked high enough in the IBF rankings to earn that title shot.
It was a grueling first round for the Briton as Opetaia quickly found his range and landed several punches that hurt the challenger, a powerful left hand and another attack that left him unsteady before the bell rang to save him.
The Australian southpaw smelled blood and more left hooks landed on target in the second round as Thompson was covered in blood, and when the 30-year-old decided to attack in the third round, it didn’t lend a hand as the champion landed chopping shots to score the knockdown.
“Troublesome” took down the count, but the end seemed inevitable, and upon the restart, several punishing blows landed, but he was brave and survived the round.
However, lessons were learned after a few seconds in the fourth round. Opetaia landed a brutal left hand that irritated Thompson, and another right jab sent him reeling to the canvas as the referee waved off the fight.
Opetaia, 28, called for a unification fight against WBO champion Chris Billam-Smith, who was watching the fight from ringside.
Scotney defended his world title
Ellie Scotney is emerging as an exceptional world champion, and the Croydon resident defended her IBF super bantamweight title for the first time, clearly outperforming Laura Soledad Griffa.
Scotney (8-0) was simply too good for Griffa (20-9, 1 KO), defeating them 100-90, 100-91 and 99-91.
Clarke’s cruises match Ducar’s
Cheavon Clarke scored a useful ten rounds to capture the vacant IBF International cruiserweight title with a clear points victory over the always hard-wearing Vasil Ducar (14-7-2, 10 KO).
Clarke (7-0, 5 KO) won by two scores of 99-91 and the third by a score of 98-92.
Dixon is European champion
Rhiannon Dixon became the up-to-date European lightweight champion, winning the vacant title after defeating former world title challenger Katharina Thanderz (16-2, 2 KO).
Dixon (9-0, 1 KO) dominated and won 100-90 on all three cards.
Best win of your career! 🔥@RhiannonDixon3 defeats Katharina Thanderz on points and wins the European lightweight champion title! 👏👏#DixonThanderz #OpetaiaThompson pic.twitter.com/Eq48RMihvS
— Boxing at Matchroom (@MatchroomBoxing) September 30, 2023
Undercard remaining
Shannon Ryan (6-0) won every eighth round in the super flyweight division against Xenia Jorneac (11-7, 3 KOs), and Maisey Rose Courtney (5-0) defeated Martina Bernile (5-3-1) 58-56 in their six-round flyweight.
Jerzy Liddard (5-0, 3 KO) won all six sessions against Peter Kramer (14-9-3, 10 KO) in the middleweight meeting, and Ibraheem Sulaimaan (2-0, 1 KO) remained undefeated, winning all four frames at weight lightweight against Joshua Ocampo (8-16-5, 6 KO).
Jimmy Sains (1-0, 1 KO) made a solid debut, defeating Bartłomiej Stryczek (1-1) in the third of the scheduled four rounds in the middleweight division.
According to Frank Warren, Oleksandr Usyk is looking forward to the world heavyweight title clash between Daniel Dubois and Joseph Parker on February 22.
Usyk was present with Dubois and Parker at the Ring Awards in London on Saturday, where he allegedly revealed his plans to Warren.
The Ukrainian defended his WBA superweight, WBO and WBC heavyweight world titles with a second consecutive points victory over Tyson Fury in December, almost seven months after defeating “The Gypsy King” to become the undisputed heavyweight champion.
And now the two-time world heavyweight champion looks to continue his legacy and become a two-time undisputed heavyweight champion.
“Oleksandr told me over the weekend that he would fight the winner of Daniel v Joseph Parker for a second shot at becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion,” Warren said. Daily mail.
The 37-year-old vacated the IBF belt shortly after defeating Fury in May against Dubois, whom he retained in August 2023, advancing to full champion on the interim title list.
Dubois crushed Anthony Joshua in five rounds in his first defense in September and stormed the ring to call on Usyk for a rematch after his second victory over Fury.
The Londoner’s argument for wanting a rematch is based on a controversial low blow in the fifth round of the fight against the Ukrainian, which he believed was a legal shot.
“Usyk, I want to take revenge,” said the 27-year-old.
“Good job tonight.
“I want revenge for the last robbery.
“Let’s sort this out. Let’s go.
After back-to-back defeats to Usyk, Fury announced on Monday that he was retiring with immediate effect, ending hopes of a long-awaited showdown with Joshua.
“Hi everyone, I’ll keep it brief and sweet,” the 36-year-old said on Instagram.
“I would like to announce that I am leaving boxing.
“It was great fun.
“I loved every minute of it.
“Let me end this, Dick Turpin wore a mask.
“God bless everyone, see you on the other side.”
Ben Shalom insists Conor Benn’s financial demands were a key obstacle to finalizing his fight with Chris Eubank Jr.
Shalom, Eubank Jr’s promoter, is in negotiations with Benn’s promoter Eddie Hearn to secure a realigned showdown between the British rivals.
The pair were scheduled to meet in October 2022, but the catchweight bout was postponed until fight week after Benn failed a drug test.
“The Destroyer” was released by National Anti-Doping Panelwho lifted the suspension, after which negotiations resumed for a pointed fight with Eubank Jr, as a result of which Benn jumped two weight classes to middleweight.
The main point of contention apparently was the financial demands of both players, with Benn’s team demanding a 50-50 split.
Shalom said last month that he convinced Eubank Jr. to accept a 55-45 split in his favor, and the BOXXER promoter claims that Benn is demanding whatever amount Anthony Joshua will be able to make.
“Getting Conor to understand that he is not Anthony Joshua,” Shalom said The boxing scene.
“I think Conor needs to be talked into some sense.
“If it was Chris Eubank Jr three or four years ago, probably when he was more hotheaded, he actually took a pretty reasonable, mature approach to this whole thing.
“I really believe in it. It’s just about getting the other side to do it too. I think it will be implemented.”
Shalom said Professional boxing fans on Wednesday that the two sides are close to reaching an agreement, and if an agreement is reached, the fight is expected to take place in April.
A fight with WBA middleweight Erislandy Lara has been lined up for Eubank Jr in case a deal falls through, while his Essex counterpart is likely to aim for a meeting with WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios if he is unable to face the fighter from Brighton.
“I think it will happen as long as no one does something stupid,” Shalom told professional boxing fans.
“We are now in the home phase.
“It’s like the last 100m, unless someone does something crazy, they should cross the finish line, but it has to be now because Lara is in line.
“All conditions have been described. Nobody wants to wait and everyone is ready to act.
“We know where the event will take place. We know it will take place in the UK.
“The framework is already in place and now it’s just a matter of finishing it.”
The 2025 British Boxing Championships will be held at the Park Community Arena in Sheffield on Saturday evening, with the main event being the defense of Callum Simpson, from nearby Barnsley, in the British and Commonwealth super middleweight title against Steed Woodall.
Ben Shalom’s BOXXER promotes the Simpson vs. Woodall fight and Heavenly sports was broadcast live on television in the UK and the fight was available on Peacock in the US.
Simpson (15-0, 10 KO) flourished under the BOXXER banner, and points scored over ten rounds against Boris Crighton and Jose de Jesus Macias opened the way to a shot at the British and Commonwealth belts.
The 28-year-old got this chance at the stadium of his beloved Barnsley football club.
Simpson proved too good for Zak Chelli and scored massive to win the pair of titles on offer last August.
Now his opponent will be Woodall (19-2-1, 12 KO), “The Stallion”, who comes from Birmingham.
The 30-year-old took part in campaigns in America and Panama at the beginning of his career, and after beating the aforementioned Crighton over eight rounds in April 2023, he gave Padraig McCrory a decent argument before losing on points over ten rounds four months later.
Woodall picked up the best win of his career when he stopped Lerrone Richards in six rounds in an upset in Bolton to claim the WBO Intercontinental super middleweight crown last June.
Prediction: Simpson is a viable prospect to watch this year and I think he will outperform Woodall, but most likely based on the scorecards.
Dubois defends his world title for the first time
On the card, Caroline Dubois defends her WBC lightweight title for the first time against Canadian Jessica Camara.
Dubois (10-0, 5 KO) was already an IBO champion and added the WBC interim belt to her collection last August, winning every round over Maira Moneo.
She was then elevated to full champion after leaving Katie Taylor.
Camara (14-4, 3 KO) is a former world title contender, and last April she won a split decision over undefeated former world champion Hyun Mi Choi.
Prediction: Dubois will be looking to showcase her talents here, and considering Camara has had three stoppages in four losses, Dubois could make her presence felt with a win on schedule.
Undercard remaining
Cruiserweight prospect Scott Forrest (6-0, 3 KO) can stop Deevorn Miller (8-2, 6 KO).
The only fighter in the eighth round is in the featherlight heavyweight division, and Billy Deniz (12-0, 5 KO) will probably need the distance to win against Mickey Ellison (15-7, 5 KO).
In the six-round middleweight division, Sam Hickey (1-0) should score against Lewis Howells (3-1), and Mauro Silva (6-0, 3 KO) could do the same against Emmanuel Zion (6-2, 3) KO).
Ellis Price (1-0) should secure a four-round points victory over lightweight debutant Liam Fitzmauric.
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