Ellis Zorro vs Hosea Burton round by round results
Undefeated Ultimate BOXXER tournament winner Ellis Zorro (15-0, 6KO) and Tyson Fury's cousin Hosea "The Hammer" Burton (28-3, 12KO) clash on a Friday fight night at York Hall on a Queensberry Promotions show starting at 7pm live on BT Sport 1.
BBN are covering the show from ringside to keep fight fans up to date with round by round reports:
Aloys Youmbi vs Borna Grcic
6×3 Heavyweight contest
Penge puncher Aloys 'The Animal' kicked off the show in style with a knockdown in the first minute as he caught winning fighter Borna Grcic with a stiff jab as the Croatian was stepping in. Aloys Junior landed a big counter left to the body to end the first round.
Then the south Londoner, trained by Ben Davison, stopped Grcic in the second round with a huge left hook with so much torque as the pair were trading, and the Croatian had to stay down for several minutes for medical attention, having to receive oxygen and be assisted to his stool.
The official time was 27 seconds into round two. Aloys Junior now has four back to back first and second round knockouts. From ringside Steve Bunce called for Aloys Junior to rematch his Polish conqueror Michal Soczynski, who defeated him in his pro debut in 2021.
Chris Bourke vs Kevin Trana
6×3 Bantamweight contest
Streatham southpaw Chris Bourke is back in action for the second time this year as he rebuilds from his British super-bantamweight title defeat to Marc Leach in 2022.
The Millwall fan may have won the first round, boxing calm and composed on the backfoot, picking his shots and letting his backhand go, but it was a totally different story in the second, as a lively Trana trapped him on the ropes and let loose with flurry after flurry, several eyecatching shots getting through the guard as Bourke held his feet way too long when he really should have escaped the ropes and the oncoming, unceasing danger. Staying trapped for so long is risky business.
In round three, Bourke's left eye was red and swollen, a direct result of Trana's successful right hands getting through time after time. The Nicaraguan has only lost three from 20, but was outpointed 72-80 by the brilliant Bradley Strand from the Everton Red Triangle gym in Liverpool in his last fight, so he can be outboxed and contained if you're smart enough.
Bourke may have edged the third stanza with his clean backhand lefts getting through, but he is badly marked and bleeding from the nose with another three hard rounds to go.
28-year-old Bourke must have landed half a dozen clean jabs in the fourth, boxing smarter now, but when the pair traded it didn't look like a good idea for Bourke, because it's the fight Trana wants, but not what's best suited for Bourke. Inbetween rounds, his corner told him to stick and move.
The Londoner boxed to instruction and stayed away from trouble by jabbing and moving. Lots of lateral movement in that round and he ended the stanza smiling.
But in the sixth, Trana came out firing and soon had his man trapped on the ropes where he lingered for too long again, neither clinching nor escaping. However, in the second half of the last round, Bourke was in complete control boxing beautifully on the outside on the backfoot, landing eyecatching single shots and moving away nicely. Despite a scary second round, Bourke was declared the winner at 58-56, scored by referee Sean McAvoy.
Sean Noakes vs Robin Zamora
6×3 Welterweight contest
Early finish for Sean Noakes with a fast first round knockout – 47 seconds! Using his left hand to line it up, Maidstone's Noakes, 27, landed a crunching overhand right, bang on the button, causing Robin Zamora to instantly turn away, which led to Sean instinctively begin following up for the kill, landing a shorter right hand in the same place to the left of the head then threw another couple on the way down but the referee had stepped in to stop it anyway.
Older brother of Commonwealth lightweight champion Sam Noakes, Sean was assiduously following Zamora around the ring and kept in range the whole time and when his Nicaraguan opponent kept moving to his left, he launched the bomb at the right time and was rewarded with the quickest KO of his career so far, which now stands at 5-0, 3KOs.
Karol Itauma vs Khalid Graidia
8×3 Light-heavyweight contest
Southpaw Karol Itauma is back in the ring for the first time since his defeat to tonight's headliner Maderna in January on the Beterbiev-Yarde undercard. In the first round, Karol caught another right hand, the same one that persistently troubled him in his loss. He had held his feet and tried to launch a one-two as Graidia opened up but his chin got rocked badly in return, he stood up to it well though. Fortunately it was a one-off and the man from Chatham spent the rest of the round boxing neatly on the outside, landing plenty.
By round two, the Slovakian-born Kent man was in complete control, setting up traps for his French foe, which he fell for a few times.
In the third, Graidia was missing wildly, wile Karol was confidently sticking and moving behind his sharp southpaw jab.
At the end of round three, Geneva-based Graidia, fighting in England for the first time, upped the ante and came forward closing the gap down quickly and throwing hell for leather and managed to catch Karol unawares with a right uppercut on the inside, which made Itauma appear a little disorganised for the final few seconds as he attempted to regain his shape under high pressure.
Round four was a simple, effective round for Itauma, taking no risks and not receiving anything back.
In round five, it was the best three minutes yet for Karol, he boxed brilliantly but also looked like he hurt his man a few times and could gpossibly et him out of there with a little extra pressure. Graidia fired back at the end but Itauma caught his right hand cleanly on his left glove. Best round yet for the Chatham combatant.
Another round for Itauma, but he did get caught at least once or twice when trading. However, it's all Karol and he landed a nice right hook which caused a reaction from Graidia who showed his defiance back so Itauma instantly landed another one-two for effect.
It was tepid seventh round with Itauma landing his jab often and Graidia, aged 40, looking slowed and subdued.
Itauma scored a knockdown in the final round which was a little messy, the pundits discrediting it on TV. Graidia leaned in and Itauma landed a right hand which kind of almost pulled him down while off-balance but it was a legitimate knockdown still and it rightfully counted.
Referee Sean McAvoy scored the contest 79-72 to Itauma, who will be relieved to be back to winning ways.
Ryan Garner vs Eduardo Valverde
6×3 Lightweight contest
Round one was a fast-paced round. Trained by Wayne Batten, Ryan Garner was super sharp against a lively opponent. In round two, a double right-left hook to the body downed Valverde, but the Nicaraguan bravely got back to his feet after a short breather. Still tneder, another right-left hook combo came in to the body of Eduardo and he was straight back down again but this time he didn't want anymore. His ribs had enough.
Pundit Carl Frampton said he remembers sparring Ryan when he was around 18, saying he looked about 13 and thought 'What is this about? He looks like a baby!' and then admitted to the youngster giving him a real hard time during the spar even way back then.
Bunce said that this is stage three of his career, having started his pro life explosively with five KOs from six wins within 13 months, then followed five points wins and only one KO between a longer period between 2018-2020, but now he's announced his return with this statement stoppage.
Ryan at ringside, after his demolition job, said he has a young daughter now, four months old, and he wants to buy a house and provide for her, so he is keen to push on and acheive success in this sport. A bad car crash set him back recently and he described his career as being filled with bad luck, but he is raring to go now.
Ezequiel Maderna vs Willy Hutchinson
10×3 WBC International light-heavyweight title
It was a thrilling opener! Hutchinson came out flying like a man possessed intent on destruction, opening up, wildly at times, way too open, but his high pace and aggression had the champion Maderna reeling all over the place. But then the round turned midway and Maderna ended the last minute by coming back strongly. The pace and action was electrifying and the biggest shot was a left hook from Willy who also landed some good right hands too. Great start but totally unsustainable for 10 rounds.
In round two, Hutchinson cleverly brought Maderna onto a sweet counter left hook with no weight behind it, just momentum from Maderna's forward movement and the visitor went down, so a 10-8 round scored for the Scot. The pace had settled down slightly.
Maderna landed a nice right hand on the bell in the third, despite being behind all round, but in the fourth it was all over with a peach of a shot from Hutchinson as a well timed overhand right floored him emphatically.
In the fourth round, 'Braveheart' drew the lead hand from Maderna as a trap to open him up then swiftly landed a superb overhand right that kind of grazed the champion's temple but with enough force to knock him out. The Argentinian had won two back to back fifth round knockouts, but the speed, sharpness and quality of Hutchinson was so superior, it was evident from the off.
Willy had predicted the fight wouldn't go past four rounds and he was right. This was a real statement win for him. For a big guy at 175lbs, Carstairs' Hutchinson is a great mover, very aggressive and will be a real handful for anyone. Frampton at ringside instantly mentioned Lyndon Arthur as a good future opponent for him.
Post-fight, Hutchinson wished his opponent well and said he thought he could have boxed better. He also reaffirmed he has power and called for Dan Azeez out, but he also pointed out he will take any light-heavyweight out there that wants it. The brilliant Dan Azeez then congratulated him from ringside and agreed to the fight!
Main Event
Ellis Zorro vs Hosea Burton
10×3 WBO European cruiserweight title
Zorro spurred on here by a raucous home support against a towering Burton. Former British champion Burton much bigger but immediately on the backfoot looking to land his jab to head and to body. Scouting mission so far in the first. Trained by Joe Gallagher, Burton so far controlling the fight behind his longer jab, lands a nice right uppercut. First round to the visitor as Zorro takes his time settling in and trying to close the range as the shorter man.
First minute of round two and Zorro lands a cracking right hand counter. Two seperate righ hands and two seperate jabs land from Zorro during the second minute. Zorro jabbing to the body in the final minute. Great round for the Londoner as he looks more in control now.
Burton trying to take the centre of the ring more in the third rather than backtracking too much. But he looks too respectful and a sharp counter right hand lands as he opens up. Burton bleeding quite heavily from the nose, perhaps more effective in this round. Zorro's teammate Denzel Bentley urging his man on from ringside. Joe Gallagher from the corner telling Hosea to win the battle of the jabs, reminding him he's six-foot-four.
It's a great battle of wills in the fourth, both boxers bleeding from the nose. But Burton wins the round. Really entertaining round with the vistor, Burton, confident and incentivised with the success he is having. Richie Woodall has Burton ahead 3-1, but could be even.
Zorro waiting too long to throw and when he does it's a big shot that misses widely. Burton keeps on his jab. Zorro too inactive, overreaching and not throwing nowhere near enough. Burton definitely ahead at this stage, but there's another half to go.
Sixth round was an even battle, Zorro perhaps finally being that little busier here, a marked improvement from him anyway, which is much needed.
Despite the size difference, Zorro is matching the taller Burton in the battle of the jabs. Good right hand from Zorro gets through. He feints to the body but lands up top with a right, then a left hook really troubles Burton and he's slumped on the ropes, then Burton goes down, but he's pulled down messily, almost thrown down and the referee rules no knockdown, but then seconds later Burton succombs to another big right cross and Zorro wins after being behind!
When it came to it, Zorro found the perfect finish to end the fight. He turned up the heat and took his chance like a true champion. Burton was ahead but Zorro came up trumps when it really mattered.
What a dramatic ending. The passionate crowd erupts into a brawl with chairs being thrown, it's not the ending the thrilling fight deserves but the simmering emotions spill over into chaos. It's soon settled down and Zorro is able to celebrate an incredible win. He had to turn around a deficit, this is a man who is learning on the job and that's two invaluble learning fights in a row having been put through the mill by Dec Spelman eight months ago at the same setting. Ellis paid homage to his friend Denzel Bentley from ringside for supporting him.
Steve Bunce called it a really good performance from Zorro. He also said he unleashed the overhand right at the right time. The finish was spectacular and Carl Frampton thinks it might be too difficult for Hosea Burton, a fantastic British boxer, to come back from that. Steve Bunce echoed that he thinks it could be too much for Burton to come back from in such a stacked domestic cruiserweight divison.
George Davey vs Bartosz Glowacki
6×3 Super-welterweight contest
Shutout points win for Davey – 60-54 – as he moves up to 7-0-1.
Michal Soczynski vs Israel Duffus
6×3 Cruiserweight contest
Duffus was down once in the fourth round and couldn't come out for the fifth. Soczynski improves to 7-0 with his third consecutive KO win. The 24-year-old Polish puncher is really going from strength to strength and holds a win over the show opener, Aloys Youmbi. Could this pair of cruiserweight rivals be on a collision course?
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