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Joseph Parker defeated Jack Massey but went the full 10 rounds while Frazer Clarke defeated Kevin Espindola on the Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith undercard at the AO Arena in Manchester on Saturday.
Massey locals had a tremendous welcome as they entered the Manchester Arena. But before that the cruiserweight Massey had his first fight at heavyweight against the former world champion in Parker.
Parker, with current WBC heavyweight Tyson Fury cheering from ringside, gave notice of the difference in size and strength with three quick left hooks to start the fight.
Massey backed down under Parker’s pressure
Massey blinked under the punch and wrapped Parker up in the clinch.
Then he surprised Parker, and the crowd, with a massive right cross to the New Zealander’s chin.
But he couldn’t capitalize. Massey moved on and Parker went back to work. In the third round Parker’s right clubbed Massey round the side of the head.
As Massey retreated, Parker would take round after round, but he still had to be able to land a decisive blow.
In the sixth round Parker drove a right hand down and Massey felt the weight of the cross. The New Zealander was reckless as he hunted for a breakthrough and instead wandered into an uppercut.
Heartened Massey landed a cross and left hook to start the seventh round but quickly Parker asserted control.
Massey’s negative boxing has been deducted points for catching in the eighth. They need a big turnaround in the last two rounds. But can’t find it.
They had a brief and angry exchange in the 10th round but Massey wasn’t strong enough to stand up to Parker.
The Englishman finished with a cut but made it through the full 10 innings. Parker though won a unanimous decision, 96-93, 97-92 and 97-93.
Clarke dominates Espindola
Popular Olympic super heavyweight bronze medalist Clarke dominated Argentina’s Espindola, who retired on the bench after four rounds. It is scheduled for six.
The big man from Burton worked Espindola into the corner at the beginning of the first round and ripped in shots to the Argentine’s midriff.
Clarke connected with a short right but Espindola found some breathing room with a looping right of his own over the top. Clarke soon resumed his work.
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Frazer Clarke said he was ‘turned on’ for the fight against Kevin Espindola as he won after four rounds.
In the break after the first round Espindola began to hold his arm gingerly like a sick man but still answered the bell and fought through the second.
Clarke continued to target the body. At times the Argentine answered with punches to Clarke’s body and the occasional jab.
But the heavy duty attacks all came from Clarke. In complete control in the fourth, Clarke began to vary the weight and pace of his punches to outlast Espindola. The Argentine nodded as he took the jab, out of ideas as ambition leaked away from him.
Shaking his way back to the corner, Espindola didn’t show up for the fifth time.
“I thought it was a good performance,” Clarke said. “He said he was wounded in the arm but I shot him with several heavy shots.
“He was a very difficult man, and sometimes dangerous.
“A couple of times I lost my concentration and got hit by a big punch. He was able to take me out.”
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Matty Harris is proving to be a problem at heavyweight with his third consecutive first round knockout!
Matty Harris rounded Jiri Surmanj and used the coverage, jabbing before breaking right. Surmanj’s legs stuttered beneath him as he took the shot and he took a few steps back. Harris rushed after him but the referee stopped Surmanj at 1:14 of the first round before Harris could take one last chance to knock him off the feet.
Scott Forrest got off to a busy start against Amine Boucetta, landing a right hook to the body, followed by a straight shot to the head.
Forrest pressed Boucetta
In the second half, he drilled him with a hard one-two and wouldn’t let the Belgian down. He forces Boucetta to the ropes and holds him under pressure as Boucetta tries to swing from a flying punch.
Boucetta rushed Scotland when he could. But even though he became more active himself could not dissuade Forrest. Boucetta took licks though and lasted six rounds, Forrest won 60-54.
Liverpool prospect Frankie Stringer beat Cristian Narvaez, to open the show with a 40-36 win after four rounds.
Chris Eubank Jr vs Liam Smith tonight live on Sky Sports Box Office. Book now if you are a subscribe to Sky TV or a Non-Sky TV customers.
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