All the results from the Jazza Dickens vs Nathaniel May show
BBN ringside reporter Jack Bradley provided all the results from Friday, July 12 #MTKFightNight Liverpool headlined by local hero Jazza Dickens and Aussie Nathaniel May – live on ESPN+ in association with Top Rank and on iFL TV.
Bout 1
6 Rounds
Craig GLOVER (10-2) vs. Jiri SVACINA (13-36)
It was a winning return to the ring in his hometown for Craig Glover as he swept aside Czech import Jiri Svacina with a 60-54 points win.
Glover controlled the centre of the ring with his jab in the opening rounds, coming forward to land thudding blows as the fight wore on. Svacina hung on to hear the final bell, but there was no denying a unanimous victory for Glover on referee Steve Gray’s scorecard.
Bout 2
6 Rounds
John QUIGLEY (16-2) vs. Alexander ZELEDON (5-15-3)
John Quigley recorded a second consecutive victory in from of his home crowd at the Liverpool Olympia, outpointing Alexander Zeledon in 60-54 victory.
It was a smart performance from Quigley from the very beginning as he found increasing success as the fight went on, nearly toppling his tough Nicaraguan opponent with a thudding left uppercut at the end of the fifth stanza. Zeledon fought through to the end of the contest, but it was a clean sweep for Quigley as his hand was raised at the final bell.
Bout 3
6 Rounds
Sam MAXWELL (12-0) vs. Oscar AMADOR (10-21)
Hometown favourite Sam Maxwell stopped Oscar Amador in the second round in a punch-perfect performance from the 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalist.
Putting his punches together superbly, Maxwell floored his Nicaraguan opponent with a big right hand right at the end of the first round, but Amador managed to answer the referee’s count at eight. In the second round, the fight was put to bed with the exact same shot as Amador looked to step in and hold Maxwell, who found the mark with his right hand once again – this time, there was no response from Oscar Amador as Maxwell was awarded the TKO victory.
Bout 4
8 Rounds
Terry FLANAGAN (34-2) vs. Jonas SEGU (19-9-2)
Terry Flanagan stopped Jonas Segu in the fifth round in an impressive return to lightweight after coming up short in the World Boxing Super Series last year.
The Manchester southpaw put in a spiteful performance, which burst into life at the end of the first round when he shifted Segu onto the ropes and countered the Tanzanian with a sharp left hook that dropped his opponent. Segu answered the referee’s count, and came out swinging in the rounds that followed as he looked to find a way back into the fight quickly.
Flanagan was clearly out for the stoppage as the fight moved into the fifth phase, and he did not have to wait much longer for it as the accumulation of some classy combinations on the inside began to take effect. Closing down Segu in the Tanzanian’s corner, Flanagan threw a thumping backhand in behind a double jab that dropped Segu, who sat there defeated as he failed the answer the referee’s count just 25 seconds into the fifth round, giving Flanagan an impressive stoppage victory – no.14 on his record – at the midway point in the bout.
Bout 5
6 Rounds
Natasha JONAS (8-1) vs. Bec CONNOLLY (2-6)
Natasha Jonas continued her rebuild from her first professional loss a year ago, facing Bec Connolly. Nicknamed ‘Lady Luck’, Connolly found herself down on her luck and down on the canvas in the first minute, although the knockdown appeared to be more of a loss of footing than anything. She comfortably answered the referee’s count, but soon found herself on the canvas again in the first round when Jonas caught her clean. Back on her feet again, Connolly came steaming into Jonas looking to keep her under serious pressure, but her Scouse opponent continued to put in the classier work as she seemed content to let Connolly walk onto her counters.
The fight continued in much of the same fashion until the fourth round, when Jonas really stepped on the gas to finish her opponent. Clearly wobbled by a series of punches, Connolly failed to return with any troublesome work of her own and the referee stepped into the wave the fight off in the fourth, declaring Natasha Jonas the winner via TKO.
Bout 6
6 Rounds
Gerard CARROLL (11-0) vs. Jordan ELLISON (11-23-1)
Ged Carroll boxed in front of his hometown crowd against North East opponent Jordan Ellison, winning via decision despite losing a point late on.
It was a tentative first round as Carroll used his jab to find his range, whilst Ellison looked to land the big shots, however Carroll managed to find some bigger shots himself as the fight wore on including an eye-catching left hook in the second round. Ellison continued to barrel forward looking for fight-stopping punches, but the undefeated Carroll remained elusive to them.
In the latter stages of the fight, the action continued in a similar manner: Ellison hunting for a knockout, and Carroll using his boxing ability to tie him up when the pressure became a little too much, though this would often follow on from a flurry from the Scouser himself. A touch of gloves going into the sixth round showed the respect both men had earned from each other, although you could have been forgiven for thinking otherwise as Carroll was deducted a point for using his elbow. Nevertheless, Carroll saw things through to the end of the fight to make off with a comfortable points.
Bout 7
10 Rounds
Martin MURRAY (38-5-1) vs. Rui Manuel PAVANITO (10-9-1)
There was raucous applause for Martin Murray as he returned to the ring for the first time since his defeat to Hassan N’Dam last year, facing Rui Pavanito in the chief supporting bout, defeating his opponent 98-92 on points.
The first round was a somewhat tepid opening to proceedings, but the fight soon burst into life in the rounds that followed as Murray found his rhythm. Closing the distance, Murray applied constant pressure to his Portuguese opponent and despite taking a few eye-catching uppercuts early on, he found success with some thudding body punches. The effect of Murray’s work to the body was clearly slowing Pavanito down in the second half of the fight – meanwhile, Murray was comfortable save for the odd flurry from his opposition.
A really eye-catching combination of uppercuts and hooks from Murray appeared to buzz Pavanito late on in the eighth round, before he wobbled again – this time much more profoundly – in the ninth and made tracks away from Murray’s onslaught. Murray’s hooks continued to sink into the body and open up opportunities upstairs, but he couldn’t find that final shot to finish the fight in the final round, with fight going Murray’s way on points.
Bout 8
10 Rounds
IBF European featherweight title
Jazza DICKENS (26-3) vs. Nathaniel MAY (21-1)
In the main event, Jazza Dickens comfortably out-pointed Nathaniel May to win the IBF European Featherweight title. Scores of 97-92, 97-91 and 96-92 ensured a unanimous decision victory for the hometown favourite, after an excellent showing in the main event.
A confident nod to his fighter from trainer Derry Mathews’ greeted Dickens’ return to his corner after the first round – May’s wide swings posed little danger to Dickens, who avoided the majority of the shots and boxed comfortably at range.
However, it was May who exited the second round far more confidently having sent Dickens staggering towards the away corner with a looping right hand. May was keen to ensure Dickens couldn’t rest either, seeking a knockout finish with some more big shots, yet Dickens navigated his way through the rest of the round straightforward enough.
The third round was a return to something a bit more comfortable for Dickens, as he settled further into his rhythm and made May miss. In the fourth, Dickens dropped May with a short, sharp hook and though May answered the referees count relatively comfortably, Dickens was now truly in the ascendancy. Down again in the fifth round after walking onto a flush jab from Dickens, anything less than a punch-perfect performance from May from the halfway point onwards would ensure he would be leaving Liverpool without the IBF European Featherweight title.
The second half of the fight featured fewer fireworks than the first half, but it was Dickens who put in the performance required from him as he cemented his excellent start to the fight with more solid work. Dickens’ jab was like clockwork as he ticked away at his opponent, and as the bell sounded for the end of the fight, an electric Liverpool Olympia celebrated Dickens’ points victory to become the IBF European Featherweight champion.