Chris Eubank Jr vs Anatoli Muratov round by round reports
BBN are reporting live from BOXXER's first ever event featuring Chris Eubank Jr. and Anatoli Muratov in the headliner, live on Sky Sports.
Aqib Tahlat reports from ringside at the co-promotion between BOXXER and Wasserman Boxing, and you can keep up with the action round by round right here:
First fight: 5pm
6/8 x 3 Cruiserweight Contest
MIKAEL LAWAL vs BENOIT HUBER
Ultimate Boxxer 4 winner Mikaael Lawal (13-0, 7KOs) heads back to the ring for the first time in 11-months against Swiss crusierweight champion Benoit Huber (7-1,5KOs), who steps in at the last minute to fill the void left by injured opponent Steven Ward (13-1, 4KOs).
Big shots being thrown by both parties in this opening fight of the televised night. Huber was positive in the first round, possibly throwing a bit more, but looking vulnerable at the same time.
Lawal gets caught on the ropes with a minute to go in round two and Huber let his hands go. Lawal answered back with three well-timed right hands, the first almost scoring a knockdown. The Swiss champion ended the round with a bloodied nose.
The Scandinavian was bloodied straight away in the third round, within seconds, then he got caught strongly with another big overhand right and the referee jumped straight in to stop the action but it left Huber fuming and circling the ring shouting "No" and crossing his arms in an 'X'. The commentators agreed it was a premature stoppage, but the Swiss man was hurt and he may have been able to carry on for another round or two, but the writing was on the wall, so he was saved from further punishment.
10 x 3 Middleweight
LINUS UDOFIA vs XHULJO VRENOZI
Former English middleweight champion Linus Udofia (16-0, 8KOs) faces Albanian-born Italian-based Xhuljo Vrenozi (17-3, 4KOs) over 10-rounds at middleweight.
The Nigerian-born Lutonian, 28-years-old, is the mandatory challenger to British and Commonwealth champion Felix Cash (14-0, 10KOs) so cannot afford any slip ups here against his Albanian opponent from Piacenza, who has fought three times before in the UK, winning all three fights at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.
It was a good display of boxing skills in the opening round, with Udofia managing to land an extended straight right hand cleanly, which was the best shot of the round. Vrenozi finishes the round cut under the right eye from a sharp jab.
Both middleweights are busy and mobile and it's a close contest to start with. The visiting southpaw lands a few sneaky shots, but he is being hunted down by Udofia, who has found his range with his sharp jab. They finish the round excitingly with the away man coming forward but Linus countering with uppercuts. It's a fast-paced fight so far.
Udofia straight back on the front foot in round three. Vrenozi swinging back under pressure, but Udofia takes his foot off the gas to allow the Albanian to get back on the front foot, then the Lutonian lands a heavy counter right uppercut which stuns Vrenozi and takes a knee. He bravely rises but goes into survival mode until the corner throw the towel in with seconds remaining in the round.
In the final round, Razor continued to press and throw combinations, but he took a few too many in the return than he would hae liked, but he gets the decision to win on points.
6 x 3 Super-Bantamweight
ALIREZA GHADIRI vs STEFAN NICOLAE
Known to fans as 'Razor Ali', British Iranian Ghadiri (3-0), from Maida Vale in London, faces Romanian Stefan Nicolae (3-26-2, 1KO) in his first fight this year.
In round one, Razor was unloading but with no real connections, but it was a good round for Ali.
Nicolae was on the ropes in round two as Ali unloaded. Hwoever, he ate a few too many counter hooks than he should have.
By rounds three and four, Ali was landed big shots and his opponent was cut under the right eye.
Razor was dominating the contest but looked like it was heading to another points win.
10 x 3 mins English Super-Middleweight Eliminator
GERMAINE BROWN vs JAMAL LE DOUX
A regular sparring partner to former world champion George Groves, Londoner Germain Brown (9-0, 3KOs) will face reigning Midlands Area titlist Jamal Le Doux over 10-rounds at super-middleweight in an English title eliminator contest, with the victor going on to challenge English champ Charlie Schofield (17-1, 1KO) next.
An intruiging first round, both fighters tryong to find their range, either not giving much away.
Brown is the stronger of the two in the second round after a feeling out process.
In the third, Brown really comes on strong, switching well from body to head.
Brown continues his domination into the fourth, with a really good display of boxing.
Brown is really breaking down Le Doux in the fifth.
Better round for Le Doux but he's trailing and needs a knockout. Brown clearly sees himself as the bigger puncher but often it's Le Doux's cuter counter punches that are more accurate. It's all very close rounds yet it feels like Brown is the man in control of the fight.
Anther tough, good round, plenty of good inside fighting from both, Brown maybe getting the better work off, but Le Doux still in the fight. Both men are feeling the pace of this fight, particularly Brown who tried and failed to go for the finish earlier. Could Le doux have a big finish to turn the tables? It's all to play for!
Brown continues to get the better of the action and should go on to win this fight. Le Doux's punches aren't clean enough, despite his brave efforts – Brown is busier and lands the better shots. One of Brown's uppercuts at the end of the round is the best punch.
Jamal has done well to reach this point, he has taken some good shots, maybe too many for his own good. It goes to the final round.
The 'G-Man' finishes strongly and should be his fight to take.
It's three good wins in a row for the Southern Area super-middleweight champion, who moves into double figures at 10-0.
7:30pm
8 x 3 mins Cruiserweight Contest
RICHARD RIAKPORHE vs KRZYSZTOF TWARDOWSKI
It's the return of Richard Riakporhe (11-0, 8KOs), a former British cruiserweight champion who is the only man to inflict a defeat on the current British champion. The Londoner meets Polishman Krzysztof Twardowski (9-2, 6KOs), who has put together a run of four victories on the bounce (three of those being knockouts), but in Riakporhe's last four fights, he has beaten all of the best 200-pounders in Britain, starting with Sam Hyde (TKO8); then ex-European champ Tommy McCarthy (TKO4); reigning British beltholder Chris Billam-Smith; and the new IBF European champion Jack Massey. Between them, they were 51-1-1 when Riakporhe beat them all.
'RR' starts tentatively but lands a hard sot at the end of the opener to knock 'Twardy' off balance.
In round two, an incentivised Riakporhe begind to let his right hand go.
The jabs were commanding the contest for Riakporhe, boxing very, very well.
Twardowski swings wildly in desperation, but Riakporhe is tight and disciplined behind his stiff jab and skills.
Riakporhe lands well with hooks in the fifth, but is bleeding from the nose in the sixth.
The home fighter lands a big right hand in the sixth but Pole is still coming on strong regardless.
The seventh round was a bit messy with a lot of holding, both fighters feeling a bit drained.
In the final round, Riakporhe scores a knockdown and takes the score of 79-72 on the referee Chas Coakley's scorecards.
6 x 2 mins Featherweight Contest
EBONIE JONES vs VAIDA MASIOKAITE
Highly-rated bantamweight Ebonie Jones faces Lithuanian Vaida Masiokaite (2-10-4, 1KO) over six rounds at featherweight.
Tough first round for the debutant, who won 60 from 65 amateur bouts.
Jones is aggressive in the second stanza, looking for the knockout.
Trained by Johnny Edwards, Jones has a nice amateur style but gets tagged with a right hand in the fourth, despite being in control of the contest.
Jones has won every round so far.
In the sixth and final round, Jones lands a looping left rght followed by a left and has taken the points score with ease at 59-55.
9:30pm
12 x 3 mins International Middleweight Contest
CHRIS EUBANK JNR vs ANATOLI MURATOV
Update:Eubank-Muratov is off after concerns were raised in the pre-fight medicals
12 x 3 mins European Welterweight Championship
DAVID AVANESYAN vs LIAM TAYLOR
European welterweight king David Avanesyan (27-3-1, 15KOs) defends his belt for the fourth time to newest challenger Liam Taylor (23-1-1, 11KOs).
'Dynamo' Taylor, 30 from Middleton, has lost just once but he bravely avenged that sole career reverse to Tyrone Nurse, then he drew on a technical decision with Chris Jenkins during their British and Commonwealth welterweight title contest due to an accidental head clash that forced the champion to retire after round four.
Trained by Carl Greaves, 33-year-old Russian 'Ava' is a former world champion, who beat Sugar Shane Mosley to land the WBA welterweight crown in 2016, and has enjoyed five fine victories in a row.
Liam Taylor straight behind his jab, Ava patient behind a tight guard. The pair are fighting in close, trading early with hooks. Avaesyan better on the inside, The champion looks stronger to start with. A strong right hand downs the challenger in a whirlwind first round!
The pair go toe to toe in round two! Taylor landing good shots but with no real success, Avanesyan takes it then gives more back and stops him in the second stanza!
It was a left hook that staggard Taylor backwards and the ref stepped in to stop the contest.
Swing/Float Bouts
6 x 3 mins Super-Welterweight Contest
JOE PIGFORD vs ISAAC ARYEE
Southampton's undefeated super-welterweight Joe Pigford (17-0, 16KOs) has amassed a fearsome record with a 100% win rate and 94% KO ratio and has another big puncher in front of him in Ghanaian welterweight champion Isaac Aryee (26-9, 24KOs), 28 from Accra, has 24 KOs from 26 victories, which equates to a 92% KO ratio.
The power-puncher added to his incredible stoppage rate with yet another early finish, ending Aryee's night in the fifth round and maintaining his incredibal KO count.
6 x 3 mins Flyweight
HARVEY HORN vs ADAM YAYAHA
Londoner Harvey Horn (8-0, 2KOs) is the reigning WBO European flyweight champion who stepped up in last contest to defeat Ijaz Ahmed for the title, but hasn't fought since, which is almost two years on.
In his ninth bout, he gets another tough test against Tanzanian Adam Yahaya (21-6-2, 10KOs), who went the distance with British flyweight champion Tommy Frank, who Horn would like to challenge for his Lonsdale belt soon.
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