Sam Eggington vs Ted Cheeseman full report
Cheeseman challenges champion Eggington for his IBF International super-welterweight title
Week 1 of Matchroom Fight Camp action in Essex is topped by Sam Eggington vs Ted Cheeseman, televised live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US.
BBN are reporting live on fight night so you don't miss a single piece of action:
19:00 LIVE ON SKY SPORTS
19:15 FIRST BELL
JORDAN GILL vs REECE BELLOTTI
10 x 3 mins Featherweight contest
Jordan Gill (25-1, 7KOs) controlling the pace from the first bell, but Reece Bellotti (14-4, 12KOs) was game and doesn't mind taking one to land one.
All of the intelligence came from 'The Thrill' Gill, as he continually racked up the rounds towards a points win.
His jab was sharp throughout, he controlled the distance and boxed brilliantly all the way through the 10 rounds.
In round nine, 'Bomber' Bellotti, 29 from Watford, landed a nice overhand right, but Gill answered back immediately with a left hook. Matthew Macklin from ringside had Gill up 89-82 ahead of the final round.
Reece Bellotti tried from start to finish, won a couple of rounds, but could not find the answer against the clever Chatteris boxer.
It was a technical fight, not hugely exciting for the fans to watch but Gill did what he needed to do to grind out the win.
26-year-old Gill's jab was fantastic, his accuracy was good and he was very economical with his punches and workrate. It always felt like he could go up another gear if required.
The scorecards were read out as 97-93, 97-93, and 96-95 to Jordan Gill.
“I thought it was a great fight," said Gill. "All credit to Reece, he came and brought his A-Game. That’s probably the best Reece Bellotti we’ve seen. He’s taken a lot of experience from his losses and put it into a really good performance. I think he can come back and win titles.
“I expected a better performance from myself, but a win is a win, and I got rid of a lot of demons in there tonight. I boxed to orders, controlling the fight with my left hand.
“I didn’t really let my right hand go. I busted my hand mid-rounds, but no excuses, a great fight, and I’m pleased to come away with the win.”
All Gill-Bellotti related articles can be found HERE
DALTON SMITH vs NATHAN BENNETT
8 x 3 mins Super-Lightweight contest
Sheffield's Smith came out nice and patient and utilised his sharp jab well, snapping back Bennett's head.
It was a great opener, with plenty of tasty exchanges. Bennett landed a lovely overhand right but seconds later Smith scored a sweet left hook to the temple to wobble his man, who was forced to survive to the bell.
Second round saw Smith coming into his own, but Liverpool's Bennett wasn't scathed this time.
The 23-year-old 'Thunder' boxed brilliantly behind a sharp jab. The excitement from the first round was not replicated unfortunately.
Dalton was beating Bennett badly in the forth as blood poured from the mouth of the Liverpudlian.
In the fifth round, Bennett pressed the action and tried his best but an overhand right from nowhere knocked Bennett off his feet with no chance of recovering.
Not only was it a classy performance from Smith, but his behaviour afterwards as he knelt beside his fallen victim to chack on him and even praised Bennett in the post-fight interview.
After the fight Smith said: "I think I boxed to instructions, did what my dad said. He caught me with a shot in the first round – and I knew I had to be switched on."
All Smith-Bennett related articles can be found HERE
FABIO WARDLEY vs SIMON VALLILY
10 x 3 mins vacant English Heavyweight Title
It was an even opener between Middlesbrough's Simon Vallily and Ipswich's Fabio Wardley.
Managed by Dillian Whyte, Wardley looked confident with his hands down. His head movement and reflexes were sharp. Wardley managed to whip in some heavy body shots in the second against a stationary Vallily.
In round three, Vallily moved forwards and tried to put his punches together when he had Wardley in the corner, but the Suffolk man landed a terrific left hook to the head that stunned Simon and sent him staggering backwards. A flurry of unanswered shots and the referee rightly stepped in to stop the contest.
Now 9-0 with eight KOs, Wardley looked comfortable fighting on the back foot, even when fighting off the ropes, never feeling the pressure at all. He collects his first title – the English heavyweight belt. Aged 25, there's an excitement surrounding his future in boxing.
"I started boxing just for a bit of a fun," Wardley told Sky Sports. "I'm massively humbled and grateful. Near on punch perfect, I think I did pretty well. Round three, that was it, it was over."
All Wardley-Vallily related articles can be found HERE
Chief Support:
JAMES TENNYSON vs GAVIN GWYNNE
12 x 3 mins vacant British Lightweight Title
It was a lively opener with plenty of punches traded from both sides.
Gavin Gwynne looked marked up from the second round. The Welshman landed some good right hands but nothing seemed to faze JT. Gwynne was very busy and had a high workrate but 'The assassin' was just looking to land one heavy blow. The 30year-old from Treharris scored some good body shots but there wasn't much spite or weight behind them to trouble Tennyson.
In the third round, Gwynne landed a lovely left hook following a clinch to the head of Tennyson. He then switeched his attack to land a good body shot. He then snapped his head back with a lovely uppercut. Good work from Tennyson in the last 40 seconds as he landed two heavy right hands. Tennyson warned for use of head by the referee after what was clearly a Gwynne round. Very lively and entertaining affair so far.
Belfast banger Tennyson was landing the heavier blows and, although Gwynne was in the runnings, the power looks increasingly like a stoppage is bound to happen soon.
Both boxers are bloodied and marked up. In the fifth, the fight was fought in close quarters with plenty of exciting exchanges.
In round six, Tennyson landed a right hook to the temple of Gwynne and he was forced to take a knee. Following a further onslaught, the referee had to jump in to save the Welshman with 27 seconds to go.
“It means everything," said Tennyson after the fight. "I stuck to the plan. I was told to be patient, move around, stick to my shots.”
Tennyson's promoter Eddie Hearn said: “Hats off to Gwynne, massive respect. This is what we want at Fight Camp, thrilling fights. Tennyson always has the equaliser – he has dynamite in his hands especially at 135lbs.
"He is so exciting. I want to see him move faster. He’s done at British level. A great fight would be Patera for the European title. I love the Jorge Linares fight. What an entertainer, what a fighter, non-stop action."
All Tennyson-Gwynne related articles can be found HERE
Main Event:
SAM EGGINGTON vs TED CHEESEMAN
12 x 3 mins IBF International Super-Welterweight Title
The challenger Cheeseman was the busier of the two in the opening round.
In the second, 'Savage' Eggington was letting his right hand go until he caught a right hook on the chin from Cheeseman that almost took his feet away. He survived an onslaught from 'The Big Cheese' and even smiled back at his attacker.
The third round was another exciting exchange, with Ted just being the busier, better, and stronger of the two. At one point the Bermondsey boxer landed about five or six consecutive body blows on the Brummie.
In the fifth, Cheeseman put in some strong right hands to the head of Eggington. The challenger landed a lot of shots and looks to be heading to a points win.
The 24-year-old former British champion had won every round up to now but the sixth started more even until a big right hand landed from Cheeseman that spurred Eggington on to finish the round strongly.
'Savage' put the pressure on in the seventh and began to dominate the fight, causing blood to pour from the nose of Cheeseman.
The eighth round was lit on fire! A sizzling three minutes filled with brutal entertainment as both boxers landed heavy artillary on each other to set up a great finish.
The ninth started where the previous round left off – in a war! Eggington's left eye looked closed completely. However, The Brummie landed the better shots to win the round, despite Cheeseman landing a clean uppercut which was the best punch of the round.
The 10th was a very even round but Cheeseman bettered Eggington in the final 10 seconds wheb they traded off.
Much the same in the 11th and penultimate round, nothing to split the brave boxers.
Eggington has come on strong in the second half of the fight. Matt Macklin had Cheeseman 106-104 up on th scorecards at this point. The pair traded off in the corner midway through the round. Then it really caught fire, Eggington looked to have Cheeseman in trouble but the Londoner fired back and cornered the champion with relentless shots. What a fight!
Scores were read aloud as 116-113, 116-113, 115-114 to the new IBF International championn Ted Cheeseman!
After the fight an emotional Cheeseman said: “You can’t imagine. I see fighters lose who don’t care. I cared, I cried my eyes out, I stormed out of the ring. I’m a winner, I gave my heart to this sport and I felt that I deserved some luck last year, but I never got it.
“I lot of people doubted me, thought I would tire. When it got tough, I had a fight with Sam. It was morale – I haven’t won for nearly two years – and you need confidence.
“I was confident going into that ring. There was no pressure with no crowd. I made mistakes but I boxed really well. I could have thought: ‘It isn’t going my way’. But I gave it my all. If I lost tonight, I would have retired. I could cry my eyes out with happiness.”
“You just have to roll with the punches,” said Eggington. “Ted got the decision today. Of course I would like the rematch. I’m sure people would like to see it again.”
All Eggington-Cheeseman related articles can be found HERE
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