Jack Massey surprises an upset against Isaac Chamberlain
On June 15th at Selhurst Park, Jack Massey (22-2, 12KO) earned a unanimous decision over Isaac Chamberlain (16-3, 8KO) to become the new European and Commonwealth cruiserweight champion.
Heading into the bout, Massey was the bookies and Sky Sports pundits’ underdog. However, after a swift start from the opening round where he took the fight to his man, the Derbyshire fighter was nicking the early-to-mid-rounds from stinging and thudding shots that pounded fiercely into Chamberlain’s middle and head.
By the end of the sixth round, Chamberlain was looking banged up, Massey was comfortably ahead on the scorecards, but appeared spent from the accelerative start that assured his lead.
From the bell in round seven, ‘IC’ started to slip through the gears, and it was looking apparent that Chamberlain’s gameplan was to weather the storm for the first half of the contest, only to take advantage of ‘One Smack’s’ fatigue and claim a stoppage in the latter stages.
Chamberlain won the seventh and clearly grabbed the eighth round with a torrent of heavy hooks that thundered into Massey’s head and body. Moments before the round closed on eight, Chamberlain swung a left hook that came back bloody. Instantaneously, Massey’s gumshield was awash with red smears and his mouth partially welled as blood poured from the damaging punch.
Not done with the assault, Chamberlain pushed his man back to the ropes where he landed clean, clobbering shots; one of which was thrown after the bell and sharply snapped Massey’s head towards his shoulder.
Taking to his stool, Massey’s trainer Joe Gallagher reassured his fighter to keep going, keep off the ropes, dig through the exhaustion, and through his boxing I.Q, get the fight wrapped up.
Heeding his trainer’s words, Massey started the ninth with zeal in his legs and nastiness in his punches. No more heavy, brutal exchanges on the inside; a place where Chamberlain felt most at home. Instead, Massey struck with precision, and was in-and-out with terse assaults that punished his opponent and claimed the rounds.
Being hit with a glut of stiff jabs and right crosses, Chamberlain was wobbled and hurt at times, and by the end of the 10th round, had a rash of lumps to his forehead and a pinched-closed swelling to his left eye.
The 31-tear-old continued his energy and attack throughout the 11th, and by the last thirty-seconds of the 12th, Chamberlain was bruised, banged up, and beaten as he swung and missed with a slew of wild punches.
At the end of the contest, Chamberlain’s trainer scooped-up his fighter and held him aloft in a display of victory. However, Chamberlain’s body language and demeanour was not of a man who believed he had just earned victory.
As the judges scorecards were read aloud, the verdict was unanimous: 115-113, 115-113, 116-112, all in favour of Jack Massey.
It was a thrilling yet brutal grind on the night; a well-earned victory for the Chapel en le frith boxer. Whether a defence of the European and Commonwealth cruiserweight belts, or an opportunity to face Chris Billam-Smith for the WBO world cruiserweight title, remains uncertain.
Either way, Massey’s latest win places him in good stead for the future.