Gavin Gwynne vs Emiliano Marsili round-by-round results
All the action reported live from tonight's fight night at York Hall, live on TNT Sports.
Welshman Gavin Gwynne takes the natural step up to European honours against unbeaten Italian veteran Emiliano Marsili, with top prospect Brad Strand vying for his first title on the undercard, as well as KO artist Sam Noakes and rising star Raven Chapman in championship clashes also.
Fight action begins on TNT Sport at 7pm:
4×3 Super-Welterweight Contest
Joel Kodua vs Dario Barosa
'JFK', 26 from Dagenham, kicked off the event with a shutout points win over Dario Barroso to move to 5-0.
6×3 Welterweight Contest
Sonny Liston Ali vs Fernando Mosquera
Sonny Liston Ali scored a shutout – 60-54 – on the referee's scorecard to move up to 7-0.
8×3 Cruiserweight Contest
Oronzo Biradi vs Israel Duffus
German crusierweight Oronzo Biradi scored a first-round stopage to make it 8-0, 7KOs.
The Italian-born 23-year-old known as 'Lo Stallone Barese' floored Israel Duffus three times in the opener, prompting referee Lee Every to jump in to stop the fight.
Duffus, from Panama, is a former WBC FECARBOX champion but he couldn't answer with any punches when he was swarmed by the hard-hitting Biradi and was falling all over the ring.
10×3 WBO European Super-Bantamweight Championship
Brad Strand vs Joshua John
Unbeaten stylist Brad Strand claimed his first professional title with a dominant display over Welshman Joshua John.
Everton Red Triangle's Strand boxed to perfection, from round one to 10, resulting in a unanimous decision with scores of 99-91, 97-93, 97-93.
In the final round, John unloaded the tank, but Strand answered back better, bouncing straight shots off the Welshman's head copiously.
Strand, 26 from Liverpool, now joins teammates Nick Ball and Peter McGrail as titlists in their century-old gym, under the watchful eye of trainer Paul Stevenson.
Now 11-0, Strand spoke after his latest win, "He got a bit desperate because he was behind and then that allowed me to land some of my bigger shots and I nearly had him gone in the last round. It was an alright fight, good 10 rounds."
6×3 Featherweight Contest
Umar Khan vs Yin Caicedo
Umar Khan sizzled in his most mature performance yet to win 60-54 and move to 8-0.
6×3 Super-Featherweight Contest
Royston Barney-Smith vs Maicol Velazco
'Sugar Boy Roy' scored a third-round stoppage and is now 8-0, 4KOs.
Royston was peppering from range whilst Velazco was backed to the ropes. Too many straight shots went in and landed clean, culminating in a head-snapping uppercut for referee Kieran McCann to step in and save him.
10×2 WBC International Featherweight Championship
Raven Chapman vs Lucie Sedlackova
Norfolk-born Raven Chapman put on a polished, dominant, career-best performance to win unanimously with scores of 98-92 twice and 97-93 in a second defence of her WBC International title.
10×3 WBC International Silver Lightweight Championship
Sam Noakes vs Carlos Perez
Noakes remains unbeaten with a TKO 4.
Trained by Alan Smith, Noakes had Perez covering up and was able to drop him with an uppercut whilst hunched over with 30 seconds to go in the third. He was down again then saved by the bell, but it wasn't looking good for him.
In the fourth, Noakes had Perez on the ropes, battering him with big blows until a chopping right hand put him down for a third time in the fight. Despite getting up again and proving he was fit to continue, referee Mark Lyson saw no reason to allow any more punishment.
That's 12 KOs from 12 fights!
6×3 Heavyweight Contest
Moses Itauma vs Michal Boloz
The heavyweight sensation scored a fifth first-round KO of his career.
The Kent heavyweight landed a hard, fast left hand on the chin of Boloz, which had a delayed effect in dropping him. When he bravely got back up, Itauma swarmed him to score a second knockdown, courtesy of a big, whipping left hook, to end the fight. Boloz got straight to his feet to continue but referee Lee Every had already waived it off.
Moses is now 7-0 with 5KOs – all of which have come in round one.
Main Event – 10pm approx.
12×3 EBU European Lightweight Championship
Gavin Gwynne vs Emiliano Marsili
British and Commonwealth titlist Gwynne was straight out the corner piling on the pressure, as his custom, but disaster struck just two minutes into the bout. Marsili backed up to the corner where he dips his head, sways, then comes up to land an accurate, punch perfect, crunching left hook, which stiffens the legs of Gwynne and has him backpedaling to the ropes, visibly hurt and worried, where Marsili swooped in to try and land another telling blow. Gwynne withstands the onslaught and moment of danger to turn his opponent and fire back. It's a frenzied start, not what Gwynne would have wanted because he was stunned there.
The Welshman plugs away and keeps on ploughing forwards, the pair fight in a phone box often, but the elder Italian steps back on occasions to land long shots. His energy for a 47-year-old is simply astounding. He matches the pace of Gwynne who is known for his volume of punches and relentless engine.
Both boxers are landing and being landed on, making the rounds almost impossible to score. Gwynne just appears to be growing into the contest and becoming more dominant with each passing minute. As Gwynne comes on strong, Marsili begins to slow down. It's Gwynne who is on the front foot, aggressive, forcing Marsili back.
Gwynne lands a nice right uppercut when in close in the eighth and Marsili is backing up a lot more now.
Then Marsili dislocates his right shoulder and has to retire at the end of round eight through injury.
Gwynne is elated and rushes to celebrate the win.
IBF World champion, Ellie Scotney, commented on the fight, "Honestly, the pace Marsili isn’t only fighting at but moving is incredible. Can’t believe what I’m seeing from a 47 year old veteran!"
Former Southern Area champion, Danny Connor, wants to see it played back, "Fair play to Marsilli, he put on a clinic there, fair play too Gavin Gwyne who kept on going and trucking forward but Marsilli lost that fight through injury, he was well in control, I’d like too see the rematch honoured."
A rematch would be welcomed by many. Marsili was bright and spritely early on, impressing everyone watching, but Gwynne appeared to be turning the tide and taking over in the second half of the contest as the 47-year-old's stamina diminished.
Gwynne is now the new European lightweight champion.
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