THE UNDERCARD
Langford and Walsh retain titles on the Groves-eubank undercard
British champs retain their belts in different manners on Manchester bill
TOMMY LANGFORD faced down a tricky challenge from Blackpool’s Jack Arnfield to defend his British middleweight title. Langford’s championship reign had been interrupted by a crushing stoppage loss against Avtandil Khurtsidze in a WBO Interim title fight. There were nervy moments for him when Arnfield pinned him back with far-reaching jabs. But Langford closed down the taller man. He started to parry the challenger’s lead left and worked in a good left hook of his own.
He finished a cluster of hooks to the body with another solid left upstairs. Arnfield felt the weight of a cross that jolted his head back. Langford held out his left, only to curve a right hook round to the target. Arnfield did not wilt but the Birmingham man made sure of a unanimous decision victory, 117-113 for Michael Alexander and 116-113 for both Howard Foster and Steve Gray. Marcus Mcdonnell refereed.
The judges could not separate Ryan Walsh and Isaac Lowe in their British featherweight title fight, although the come-forward aggression and cleaner work of Walsh, the champion, caught the eye. Nevertheless, Lowe jabbed well and moved round the ring on the backfoot. He slashed his cross through the Cromer man’s guard and reeled off bursts of punches. But Ryan continued to track forward, methodically switching stances and sending sapping hooks to Lowe’s body. In the last round Morecombe’s Lowe tore into Walsh, standing his ground on the inside. They exchanged crosses and Walsh finished the bout with a final right hook arching down.
Marcus Mcdonnell scored 115-114 to Lowe, Steve Gray 116-114 Walsh and Michael Alexander kept them level at 115-115. Howard Foster refereed.
30 years previously, to the week,
Zach Parker’s father fought Chris Eubank. Parker looked impressive as he dispatched Spain’s Adasat Rodriguez. After a sedate opening round, the Woodville man shook up his foe in the second. He lunged at him and put Rodriguez down. He was not long for this fight. A final conclusive left hook swept the Spaniard off his feet, ending it at 2-59. Phil Edwards refereed.
Sebastian Eubank, Eubank Jr’s brother, made his professional, debut. He bossed Kamil Kulczyk, controlling the distance with his jab and dictating the tempo. Eubank switched stances easily, whipping body shots into the Pole’s midriff. He sent him down to the canvas in the third round. In the fourth he bowled a southpaw left over the top, continuing to batter down Kulczyk but had to settle for 40-35 points win from referee Mark Lyson over four rounds.
Middlesbrough’s Simon Vallily did not push the pace against Blaise Mendouo
but was dangerous when he let his hands go. With the Cameroonian dipping to a knee in the second round, Vallilly cheekily cracked him with a left hook. In the fourth Mendouo blazed forward swinging hooks but Vallily clipped him with a massive left. A right blasted in to leave Blaise wobbling on his feet and referee Mark Lyson stopped him at 2-34.
London cruiserweight Mikael Lawal
was clumsy at times but, heavy handed, he forced a stoppage against Adam Williams. He clubbed the local man down to his knees in the third round and in the fifth he scooped a left in and dropped Williams to a knee again. Referee Phil Edwards waved it off at 2-50.
Warrington’s Danny Craven launched himself at Southampton’s Luther Clay,
flinging straight shots with gusto. But he caught Craven with single shots and won a 58-57 decision from referee Mark Lyson.
Gabriella Mezei upset Belinda Skinner on the Hastings boxer’s professional debut. The visiting Romanian looked delighted, and a little surprised, to get decision 39-38 from referee Mark Lyson after four rounds.