Cheavon Clarke recovered from being knocked down twice to ship a sensational seventh-round stoppage of Jack Massey in a dramatic cruiserweight conflict in Bournemouth.
The co-main occasion of Zuffa Boxing’s present on the Bournemouth Worldwide Centre pitted former British champion Clarke towards former world title challenger Massey, with the competition dwelling as much as its pre-fight billing.
Massey surprised Clarke with a powerful mixture late within the second spherical and appeared to take management within the contest after dropping his opponent twice throughout an eventful fourth spherical.
Clarke took the complete eight-count after being struck by Massey’s highly effective proper hand earlier than being despatched to the canvas once more barely a minute later, with the Gravesend fighter doing nicely to see off the remainder of the spherical.
He then got here firing again within the fifth however was behind on all three judges’ scorecards, regardless of hurting Massey and edging the sixth spherical, then floored his opponent with an enormous proper hand within the seventh.
Massey was nonetheless unsteady after surviving the depend, with an extra flurry of Clarke punches quickly after seeing the referee cease the battle – with simply over 80 seconds of the spherical remaining – to finish a exceptional comeback victory.
“I came from nothing – and when you come from nothing you’ve got something to fight for,” Clarke instructed Sky Sports activities. “Credit score to Jack. He is a top quality fighter.
Massey was stopped by Clarke in a topsy-turvy contest
“He’s better than most of the cruiserweights and I just beat him. I pictured it. I manifested it. Manifestation does work and faith does work.
“I am an enormous Arsenal fan and I missed the entire parade as a result of I used to be in camp – so as we speak is my parade.”
Cutler and McKenna renew rivalry after comeback wins
Residence favorite Lee Cutler noticed his middleweight contest towards Aaron Sutton lower quick when a robust proper hand left his opponent with a dislocated shoulder, leading to a third-round TKO victory.
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Stephen McKenna and Lee Cutler exchanged a pair of verbal jabs after their respective Zuffa Boxing 07 wins in Bournemouth
All three judges had the competition degree after two rounds earlier than the stoppage, with Cutler’s uncommon victory – with 31 seconds of the spherical remaining – marking a profitable first return to the ring since final April’s defeat to Sam Eggington.
“After the [Sam] Eggington fight, I believe I was robbed of a clinical victory again,” Cutler instructed Sky Sports. “I thought I was going to walk this guy down [Sutton] and beat him up. Accidents happen and respect to him for staying in there. It’s a shame what happened.”
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Cutler secured the TKO victory over Aaron Sutton after the Englishman was pressured to drag out of the battle with a dislocated shoulder
Cutler known as for a rematch towards Stephen McKenna, who he beat in December 2024, after the Irishman ended his 539-day absence from the ring with a sensational first-round stoppage towards Casey James Streeter.
McKenna (16-1) wanted simply 64 seconds to despatch Streeter and declare the fifteenth knockout win of his profession, sending the American to the canvas with an enormous left hook earlier than seeing the battle stopped by the referee after a sequence of heavy pictures.
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McKenna marked his Zuffa Boxing debut with a first-round KO towards Casey James Streeter
“I’m just happy to be back, stronger than ever,” McKenna instructed Sky Sports activities. “I always go for the knockout. He [Streeter] tried to meet fire with fire, but it was only going to go one way.”
Scotland’s Sam Hickey (5-0) continued his good skilled file with a brutal knockout towards Todd Tompkins, sending the Englishman to the canvas with a robust proper hand simply over 80 seconds into the second spherical.
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Sam Hickey registered a thunderous knockout within the second spherical of his battle towards Todd Tompkins
“We need to get a show in Scotland – I’ll sell the gaff out,” Hickey instructed Sky Sports activities. “If I keep putting on performances like that and getting people to the fights, we can get hundreds of people down. You don’t get paid for overtime. I put the work in and the shot was there. I’m happy.”
Dychko sees off Dykes after McMillan, Hughes ship stoppage wins
Alex MacMillan (4-0) – a gym-mate of Billam-Smith and Cutler – opened the evening with an announcement victory as he knocked down fellow Englishman Leo Fanthome thrice throughout a second-round stoppage.
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Alex MacMillan placed on a clinic to defeat Leo Fanthome and rating Zuffa Boxing’s first stoppage on UK soil
Leon Hughes (5-0) additionally wasted little time in sustaining his unbeaten begin as an expert, dominating a one-sided contest towards Mario Vergiev earlier than the referee stepped in after 52 seconds of the third spherical.
England’s Harvey Dykes suffered the primary defeat of his skilled profession after two-time Olympic medallist Ivan Dychko (16-1) edged to victory through cut up determination.
What’s subsequent?
Additional Zuffa Boxing reveals are scheduled in Las Vegas on June 28 and New York on July 26 forward of their first Irish present in Dublin on August 8, with all three stay and unique within the UK and Eire on Sky Sports activities.
Zuffa Boxing 08 in Las Vegas consists of Edwin De Los Santos going through Jose ‘Rayo’ Valenzuela in a 10-round rematch of their memorable 2022 fight-of-the-year contender, whereas the line-up for the New York present has but to be introduced. Get Sky Sports activities or stream boxing with no contract.
