Former IBF light flyweight champion Sivenathi Nontshinga is determined to reclaim his place at the top after losing his title to Japan's Masamichi Yabuki in a ninth-round stoppage on Saturday in Tokoname. Despite being knocked down three times, the South African fighter remains confident in his ability to come back stronger and become a three-time world champion.

Nontshinga, 25, now holding a record of 13-2 (10 KOs), spoke to SA Boxingtalk about his mindset following the defeat. “You know the vibes. I’ll go back to the drawing board, work hard, stay humble as ever. I’m teachable, down to earth, I’ll never change myself. I’ll never let losses define me,” he said. Reflecting on the knockout blow that led to the end of the fight, he admitted, “He caught me with a good punch I didn’t see coming. I tried to look at my corner, but I couldn’t see anybody. I was just hearing the noise.”

While acknowledging that Yabuki was the better man on the night, Nontshinga remained positive about his future. “I’ll stay in the gym. I’ll keep working hard. This is just a minor setback, now it’s time for me to become a three-time world champion… This is not a failure, it’s a learning curve. I’ll bounce back once again,” he vowed. “Everything went how it went. I’m not ashamed of my losses… It’s not the end of the world. I’m still young. I’ll get back on top.”

Nontshinga’s trainer, Colin Nathan, expressed his pride in his fighter, even though the loss was difficult to take. “Yabuki is very strong,” Nathan said. “I felt we were behind, I felt we were coming into the fight, but with Yabuki’s pull-back power… He’s also very big at 108. We lost to the better guy on the night. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but unfortunately, we all have to swallow it.”

Nathan also praised Nontshinga’s resilience. “I could see that first right hand took all the stuffing out of him. It kind of looked and said, ‘Dude, you’ve got to get up.’ The fact he got up and showed character, and heart, I’m very proud of. You’ve got to congratulate Yabuki.”

Despite the loss, Nontshinga remains focused and ready to work his way back to the top, eager to prove that this setback is only a stepping stone in his journey to becoming a three-time world champion.

#SivenathiNontshinga #MasamichiYabuki #LightFlyweight #BoxingNews #WorldChampion

The undisputed light heavyweight championship bout between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol was a high-level and spirited boxing match that ended in some controversy Saturday night as Beterbiev eked out a majority decision win.

Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs) got out of the gates with a strong start, but Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) did a better job in the second half of the fight and the judges awarded him the victory with scores of 116-112 and 115-113, while a third judge had it 114-114. Ten of the 12 rounds were scored identically as the busier Beterbiev landed 137 of 682 of his punches while Bivol connected with 142 of 423 of his shots.

Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn, Bivol’s promoter, was disgusted with the result.

“We saw one of the greatest fights and examples of our sport,” Hearn said during the post-fight press conference in Saudi Arabia. “I don't want to disrespect Artur Beterbiev, because he's an incredible fighter. But I find it sickening that after a lifetime of hard work, Dmitry Bivol is not the undisputed champion. He won that fight. I struggled to find anyone who didn't score the fight to Bivol. … I'm not saying it's a robbery of a decision. But I don't see how you can give Beterbiev six rounds in that fight.”

Hearn said Polish judge Pawel Kardyni, who scored the fight 116-112, "should never work in the sport again."

Bivol's manager, Vadim Kornilov, added that "when [Kardyni] comes back from Chechnya, he should be suspended."

Beterbiev was seen celebrating following the win with Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic.

Hearn said that Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia, previously had noted that if the fight ended in a wrong decision, a rematch would be in store. Alalshikh said after the fight that he thought Bivol won 115-113 and that he would try to green-light a rematch.

“We know he's a man of his word,” Hearn said of Alalshikh. “There has to be a rematch. What other fight is there for Beterbiev? It was an absolute boxing masterclass and a perfect performance by Bivol. And you know what? It can be better. It was a pure show of concentration, skill and defense, with offense thrown in.”

Bivol sat at the dais with bruises around his eyes trying to process the first loss of his professional career.

“I felt like I could be [busier],” he said. “I just had to throw more punches. But I tried to land hard and catch him with clean punches.

“He has heavy punches. He's very strong. For his age [39], he has good endurance, and he was working for 12 rounds. He's a very good fighter. … I wasn't groggy [from his power]. I felt some pressure, but it was under my control. I needed more pressure from him, to be honest.

“Of course, in boxing if you don't punch clean, the judges will give the rounds to the guy who is pressuring. … We should ask the boxing fans if they want this rematch. If they want it, I would like to get this chance again, of course. ... I hope I will do better in the rematch.”  

It’s rare to see a third-round knockout that also qualifies as a come-from-behind victory, but that’s exactly what Shokuchi Iwata achieved in his stunning win over Jairo Noriega in the first of four title fights at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday. Iwata, who had dropped the first two rounds, turned the fight around in spectacular fashion to claim the vacant WBO light flyweight belt, ending the bout at the 2:59 mark of the third round.

Noriega, an unbeaten Spaniard fighting for his first major world title at 31, came out strong with high-energy offense, using his frequent left hooks and uppercuts to control the early rounds. Iwata, 28, stayed patient, working behind his jab and waiting for an opening, knowing Noriega’s fast pace would be hard to maintain over 12 rounds.

That opportunity came late in the third round. With just 30 seconds remaining, Iwata landed a sharp right uppercut that staggered Noriega. Another uppercut to the cheek followed, leading to a combination that floored the Spaniard. Noriega beat the count, but as the bell rang, Iwata landed a crushing left hook to the chin, knocking Noriega down once again. Referee Raul Caiz Jr. immediately waved off the fight, securing Iwata’s victory by knockout.

Iwata, now 14-1 (11 KOs), has scored five consecutive knockouts since his only career loss to Jonathan Gonzalez in 2022. After the win, Iwata revealed he had been contemplating retirement if he lost, but now, with his new belt, he is eyeing a showdown with fellow Japanese light flyweight champion Masamichi Yabuki, who won a title the previous day by knocking out Sivenathi Nontshinga.

Seigo Yuri Akui Retains WBA Flyweight Title in Hard-Fought Split Decision

Iwata’s countryman, Seigo Yuri Akui, faced a much tougher battle in his second defense of the WBA flyweight title, going the distance in a grueling 12-round fight against Thai challenger Thananchai Charunphak. Akui won by split decision, with two judges scoring the bout 115-113 and 117-111 in his favor, while the third gave it 115-113 to Charunphak.

The championship rounds proved crucial, with Akui, 21-2-1 (11 KOs), clearly winning the 11th and 12th rounds to pull ahead. Charunphak, 25-2 (15 KOs), had his best moment in the 10th round, landing a vicious body attack that seemed to hurt Akui. Despite that, Akui rallied in the final rounds to secure his ninth consecutive victory.

The fight was competitive from start to finish, with Akui moving forward aggressively, while Charunphak used his footwork to circle and jab, occasionally stepping in to land powerful shots. Both fighters focused on body punches, with Charunphak’s efforts appearing more effective in some rounds. However, Akui’s determination in the later stages gave him the edge he needed to retain his title.

For Charunphak, this marked his first loss since his second pro fight, while Akui continues to build momentum with his impressive winning streak.

#ShokuchiIwata #JairoNoriega #SeigoYuriAkui #ThananchaiCharunphak #BoxingNews #TokyoFights #WBOChampion #WBATitle

Junior welterweight contender Jamaine Ortiz has signed a co-promotional deal with CES Boxing and Boxlab Promotions as he looks to push forward in his career. Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs), fighting out of Worcester, Massachusetts, will make his debut under the new agreement on November 1st, taking on Mexico’s Gilberto Espinoza (13-2, 8 KOs) in a 10-round main event at Boxlab’s “Night of Champions” at the Caribe Royale Hotel in Orlando, Florida. The event will be streamed live on DAZN.

“I’ve always had big goals, and this partnership will help me reach them,” Ortiz shared. “My fight with Espinoza is going to showcase what I’ve been working on, and I’m going to shine on the international stage.”

Ortiz is eager to rebound after a narrow decision loss to junior welterweight titleholder Teofimo Lopez Jr. in February, and he remains focused on getting back into title contention.

“My goal is to get back into a world title fight, and I know that with the support of CES and Boxlab, I can get there,” Ortiz said. “It all starts on Nov. 1 against a tough opponent in Espinoza, and I’m ready to put on a show for the fans and make my mark again.”

With new promotional backing and a determination to rise back to the top, Ortiz aims to make a strong statement on November 1st, as he looks to reignite his path toward a world title shot.

#JamaineOrtiz #GilbertoEspinoza #NightOfChampions #BoxingNews #CESBoxing #BoxlabPromotions #JuniorWelterweight #OrlandoFights

Newly crowned undisputed light heavyweight champion Artur Beterbiev has mixed feelings following his majority decision win against Dmitry Bivol on Saturday.

Beterbiev started slow and closed the show strong to beat Bivol by scores of 116-112 and 115-113, while a third judge had it 114-114. Judges scored 10 of the 12 rounds the same as the busier Beterbiev landed 137 of 682 of his shots while Bivol connected with 142 of 423 of his own.

During his post-fight press conference in Saudi Arabia, Beterbiev (21-0, 20 KOs) was not satisfied following the first decision win of his career against Bivol (23-1, 12 KOs).

“He did a good job,” said Beterbiev. “I don't know how he measured his work as good or not, but I'm not a bad boxer. I didn't do bad work. I only did some parts of what I prepared for and not all of the work. I don't why.

“I'm always critical of myself. Even when I won all my previous fights by knockout, I always complained about my skills and performance. That's why I don't like what I did. I always want to do better.

“I needed to sleep for a couple of rounds and then wake up.

“Maybe it was my knee injury, maybe it was many things. I don't know.

“I don't think I'm a great boxer. But I'm not a bad boxer. It's experience. I'm honored to become the undisputed champion.”

Beterbiev’s longtime Canadian-based coach Marc Ramsay echoed Beterbiev’s glass-half-empty sentiment as well.

“We did good,” said Ramsay. “It was not a bad performance. But we believe we can do even better. We are happy about all of the belts, but on Monday morning we need to find a new objective and challenge and keep pushing.”

While Bivol promoter Eddie Hearn, the head of Matchroom Boxing, called a foul for the 116-112 scorecard and suggested that judge Pawel Kardyn "should never work in the sport again," Beterbiev promoter Carl Moretti, Top Rank’s vice president, thought the right guy won. 

“It's OK to have close fights either way, but it wasn't a robbery,” said Moretti. “It was a close fight. Bivol fought great. Just look at their faces. Even though his gloves were high, something was hitting Bivol. It wasn't a ghost. So go from there.”

Featherweight contender David Navarro is gearing up for a significant challenge as he prepares to face undefeated Mykell Gamble (7-0, 4 KOs) this Wednesday night. The bout will be featured on the ProBox TV App as part of Wednesday Night Fights, taking place live from the ProBox TV Events Center near Tampa, Florida.

Navarro (6-1, 3 KOs), a former silver medalist at the 2019 Olympic Trials, acknowledges the difficulties posed by Gamble's southpaw stance and strong amateur background. “It’s getting tougher and tougher every fight,” said Navarro, 24, who hails from Hemet, California. “This is one of the first times I’m fighting a southpaw in my professional career, so we made adjustments in the gym. We’re still working on some things, but overall, every fight I try to be aggressive but smart.”

Although Navarro and Gamble have not faced each other in the amateur ranks, Navarro is well aware of the unpredictability that comes with opponents who have extensive amateur experience. “I know the amateur style well — you always have to be cautious,” Navarro explained. “With his amateur experience and southpaw stance, I’ve been focusing on certain things. It’s all about the little adjustments.”

Navarro's career faced a turning point in 2021 when he suffered a TKO loss to veteran Diuhl Olguin. Despite leading on the scorecards, a cut caused by a legal punch resulted in a stoppage in the sixth round. “That fight definitely changed me,” he reflected. “It was tough, but I had the right team around me – my family, my coach Robert Garcia – and that support got me through it. I went right back to the gym and started training harder. It made me stronger as a person.”

Since that setback, Navarro has fought only four times, and with his upcoming fight against Gamble being broadcast on ProBox TV, he is eager to demonstrate his progress. Training with Robert Garcia in Riverside, California, Navarro also reminisced about his Olympic Trials experience, where he claimed silver by defeating notable prospects such as Duke Ragan and Rasheim Jefferson.

“I was honored to be in the Olympic Trials,” Navarro said. “It was a great experience, and I fought my butt off. Guys like Bruce Carrington and Johnny Mansour are doing great right now. I think about those fights a lot – I wish I could do it again.”

As he prepares for Gamble, Navarro is focused and motivated, knowing that his family and supporters will be watching. “I’m still hungry. I’ve been training hard, and I’m ready,” he stated.

#DavidNavarro #MykellGamble #ProBoxTV #WednesdayNightFights #BoxingNews #Featherweight #OlympicTrials

O’Shaquie Foster is gearing up for his rematch against Robson Conceicao on November 2 at the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, following a controversial split decision loss in July that many considered a robbery. Foster (22-3, 12 KOs) expressed disbelief over the decision, noting that he felt he controlled the fight, landing more punches overall (109 of 435) compared to Conceicao (76 of 701).

In an interview with Naji Grampus of Cigar Talk, Foster vowed to take a different approach this time around. “We just gonna turn it up,” he stated. “We gonna keep the defense, keep everything sharp, but we gonna ramp it up. We gonna bring the smoke to him. [...] I’m coming to put on a show.”

The initial bout saw Foster outscore Conceicao in power punches as well (58 of 172 to 49 of 313), yet the scorecards favored Conceicao with two judges scoring it 116-112 and 115-113 in his favor, while the third judge had Foster ahead 116-112. Reflecting on the outcome, Foster admitted it led him to question his own understanding of the sport, stating, “There was no words that I could say. I started questioning, like, ‘Man, do I know boxing?’ because I know this shit was easy as hell.”

Foster, who won the vacant WBC title in February 2023 and successfully defended it against Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez and Abraham Nova, is determined to reclaim his title. “I could do better. I could do more. And that’s what I’m gonna do,” he asserted.

The rematch will be available to stream on ESPN+, and Foster is ready to showcase his skills and reclaim his championship status.

#OShaquieFoster #RobsonConceicao #BoxingNews #WBC #Rematch #TurningStoneCasino #ESPN+

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In a decisive rematch, Fabio Wardley swiftly settled his rivalry with Frazer Clarke, knocking him out in the first round on Saturday night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This bout came seven months after their previous encounter ended in a split decision draw in London.

Clarke (8-1-1, 6 KOs) began the fight strong, establishing control with a stiff jab. However, the momentum shifted dramatically when Wardley (18-0-1, 17 KOs) landed a powerful right hand to Clarke's temple, leaving him visibly shaken. Clarke attempted to respond aggressively, but as he sought to regain his footing, Wardley capitalized on the moment.

In an exchange near the ropes, Wardley spun out of a clinch, landing a left hook followed by another right hand that sent Clarke back into the corner. A final right hand from Wardley floored Clarke, leaving him draped over the ropes. Referee Victor Laughlin initiated the count, but quickly called off the fight as Clarke struggled to recover. The official stoppage came at 2:28 of the first round.

After the fight, Wardley, 29, reflected on the preparations leading up to the rematch. “I went into that first fight with a lot of background stuff, a lot of things,” he said. “We got them fixed up. We got the game plan right; we put it together; executed on the night. Executed.”

He acknowledged the lessons learned from their first bout, stating, “Sometimes, war is needed, sometimes a little bit of brains is needed. But I took enough assessment from the first fight to know... I had success in that war mode. We just needed to cuten it a little bit... But look, I can't help it. War by name; war by nature.”

Wardley’s promoter, Frank Warren, revealed to DAZN that Clarke suffered a broken cheekbone during the fight.

#FabioWardley #FrazerClarke #HeavyweightBoxing #BoxingNews #Knockout #RiyadhFightNight

Bivol connected on 50% of his power punches, while Beterbiev only landed 29% of his. Bivol landed 33 power punches over the first six rounds while Beterbiev landed 23. Beterbiev turned the tide over the last six rounds by landing 67 power punches to Bivol’s 51. In rounds eleven and twelve Beterbiev landed 29 power punches while Bivol landed 19. The combatants were separated by 4 or less landed punches in 8 of the 12 rounds fought. One judge scored the fight a draw, 114-114. The other two judges scored the fight 115-113 and 116-112 for Beterbiev.

Skye Nicolson is reveling in her victory over Raven Chapman in the first-ever women’s world title match in Saudi Arabia. And the WBC featherweight titleholder has her next opponent in mind.

Nicolson topped Chapman by unanimous decision on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev vs. Dmitry Bivol. The judges saw the fight 99-91 and 98-92 (twice).

“I felt I controlled the fight,” Nicolson, now 12-0 (1 KO), said afterward. “I dictated the pace and my timing was on point. I felt sharp and I beat her to the punch. A big part of my gameplan was offsetting her, feinting and beating her to the punch.”

Nicolson won the world title in April 2023 with a wide decision against Sarah Mahfoud, picking up a belt that had been vacated by Amanda Serrano. Since then, she’s defended it with a shutout of Dyana Vargas and now this victory over Chapman, who fell to 9-1 (2 KOs).

“I’m really excited for what’s to come. There’s barely a scratch on the surface,” Nicolson said. “They [her opponents] keep thinking they’ve cracked the code, but the code seems to remain uncracked.”

Nicolson said that her next opponent “has to be Tiara Brown.” That depends on what happens in Brown’s next fight, which was scheduled to take place hours after Nicolson vs. Chapman wrapped up. 

Brown (17-0, 11 KOs) was scheduled to face Vargas (19-2, 12 KOs) in Philadelphia for the WBC’s interim world title.

Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Sport, which promotes Nicolson, sees his fighter remaining undefeated.

“I don’t see anyone beating her,” Hearn said. “And now it’s time to capture all the belts. Undisputed awaits.”

The other featherweight titleholders are Nina Meinke (IBF) and Serrano (WBA, WBO), although Serrano last fought in the weight class a year ago and has her rematch with Katie Taylor on November 15 three divisions north for the undisputed junior welterweight championship.

David Greisman, who has covered boxing since 2004, is on Twitter @FightingWords2 and @UnitedBoxingPod . He is the co-host of the United Boxing Podcast . David’s book, “ Fighting Words: The Heart and Heartbreak of Boxing ,” is available on Amazon.

The IBF world cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia, a Sydney southpaw reigning with the title for the second, dismantled poor Jack Massey in the sixth round to defend his crown.

Opetaia dictated terms throughout and when the end came, Massey was under intense pressure and his trainer Joe Gallagher threw the towel in. It was accepted by the referee Steve Gray after two minutes of the round.

Inside the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the undercard of the tantalising light-heavyweight fight between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol — the latter who Opetaia has been strongly-linked with — the 29-year-old continued his run through British cruiserweight opposition.

Massey, now 22-3 (12 KOs), from Marple, Cheshire, is 31 years old, and had a tough night.

Opetaia, 26-0 (20 KOs), looked to start quickly behind sharp left hands, while Massey threw stubborn rights to the head and body. The Englishman caught an early right hook and the champion tracked him to the corners.

Australia's Opetaia switched his focus to the body in the second, and upped his work-rate. He took a counter right in return, but Opetaia was largely able to avoid what did come back at him.

Massey only rarely threw more than one shot at a time; he covered up but was cut by his left eye early in the fourth round. Massey was also disappointed for getting caught with his hands low near the end of the session.

Opetaia, 29, was unrelenting. He was methodical and building a lead. Massey was now bleeding more heavily and he took a right that forced him to cover. Opetaia poured forwards — a torrent of southpaw leather flowing one way.

Massey was gutsy but it was getting rough in there for him as the fifth ended.

Opetaia looked bright and fresh bounding out for the sixth but there was a weary look to the challenger.  It was getting increasingly brutal and then Gallagher threw in the towel.

An explosion of power punches by Wardley left Clarke perched unconscious against the ropes. Clarke actually landed 50% of his power punches (6 of 12) in the opening frame. Wardley landed 64% of his power punches (9 of 14).

Chris Eubank Jnr has hailed the impact of new trainer Jonathan Banks for his victory over Kamil Szeremeta on Saturday.

British star Eubank made sure his long-awaited return to the ring was successful, sending Szeremeta to the canvas four times en route to a seventh-round KO win in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Eubank ( 34-3, 25 KOs), who was ruthless against Szeremeta ( 25-3-2, 8 KOs), said he had fun all night and would have finished the Polish in the first round had he wanted to.

“It's been a year out of the ring. I wanted to get that ring rust up,” Eubank told DAZN. “I wanted to feel the energy of this Saudi crowd at the Saudi event and it's beautiful, man. I love coming out. I love the people.

“I love the atmosphere, and I love everything about this place. I had fun there. That was the main thing. Have fun, work on things, and get ready for the big fight that's coming up next.” 

Eubank has been out of the ring since recording a 10-round TKO victory over Liam Smith in September last year. That emphatic win was a revenge to a devastating four-round stoppage defeat to Smith eight months prior.

The victory over Szeremeta brings the British fighter back to winning ways, ending the Polish boxer’s four-fight winning streak. Eubank praised Szeremeta for his fighting spirit.

“Listen, Szeremeta is a tough guy. There are certain people that when they get hurt, they look for a way out. This guy kept coming and I thought the body shots were gonna take this guy out. I don't wanna keep punishing him to the head. I was working on things.

“Me and my new coach Johnathan Banks had a gameplan and it worked perfectly. It went beautifully. You saw what happened in the fight. Easy work.’

Bernard Neequaye is a sports journalist with a specialty in boxing coverage. He wrote a boxing column titled “From The Ringside” in his native Ghana for years. He can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) at @BernardNeequaye, LinkedIn at Bernard Neequaye and through email at bernardneequaye@gmail.com .

Ben Whittaker left on a wheelchair after five rounds of his fight with Liam Cameron.

Sheffield's Cameron walked Whittaker into the ropes near the end of the the fifth round and both fighters plunged over the top rope, after which Cameron landed on Whittaker.

Cameron, sluggishly, was up first, but Whittaker was hurt. He indicated that his leg was injured and said that he could not continue.

As a result of what the British Boxing Board of Control's Robert Smith deemed an accidental injury, the fight went to the scorecards after five rounds, where the tallies were 58-57, 57-58 and 58-58, thus resulting in a technical split draw.

It was another viral moment for Whittaker, but not the sort the showman from the West Midlands would have wanted. The 2020 Olympian, known for his extroverted skill set, had his hands full with Cameron early on but "The Surgeon" fell to 8-0-1 (5 KOs).

His fellow Briton Cameron, 23-6-1 (10 KOs), whose life spiralled after he was banned from the sport for using recreational drugs and he then struggled with alcoholism and substance abuse, had been holding his own.

The 33 year old, a former Commonwealth champion, was once a touted prospect. That was Whittaker’s mantle, pre-fight; one of the sport’s bright hopes who said he did not feel far off Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, the main event fighters in Riyadh.

Whittaker’s faster hands made the difference in the first round. He jabbed smartly and threw rights behind them. Cameron, who went the distance with Lyndon Arthur last time out, had a sturdy look about him and in the second he held his hands high and let Whittaker throw shots up and down that looked pretty but didn’t score beyond the arms and gloves.

The 27-year-old Whittaker landed a good right hand early in the third but Cameron had success with both hands in reply.

Cameron’s face was marking up but he buried a couple of lefts into Whittaker’s stomach. It was not all one way, as was again shown in the fifth, when they threw right hands and Whittaker's missed and Cameron's scored.

The referee Victor Loughlin gave Whittaker a verbal warning for straying low with his shots, and in front of a sparse crowd Whittaker was starting to look out of sorts and disorganised.

When Cameron then walked Whittaker to the ropes, they both lurched backwards over the top strand and to the canvas. They fell to other side and the fight was over. Cameron felt like he'd done enough to win. Whittaker was later taken to hospital.

Chris Eubank Jnr dropped Kamil Szeremeta four times en route to scoring a seventh-round knockout before getting into a brief post-fight shoving match with Conor Benn in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Eubank (34-3, 25 KOs), in his first outing since stopping Liam Smith in 10 in September 2024, opened strongly, flashing sharp, snappy jabs and suddenly uncorking a straight right over Szeremeta's low left and into the Pole's jaw, dropping him to his knees in the opening round. Eubank showed tremendous punch variety early and seemed to be landing with everything, but one brief moment near the end of the round brought a warning sign when Eubank dropped his hands and Szeremeta drilled him with a right hand.

Indeed, Szeremeta (25-3-2, 8 KOs) had his moments throughout, but they were infrequent and packed too little power to dissuade Eubank, fighting for the first time with Johnathon Banks in his corner — and with a SNAC logo on his shorts advertising his relationship with Victor Conte. 

Eubank looked the bigger, stronger fighter throughout, but by round four appeared to be falling a little too in love with his power shots and showed a little sloppiness. After the third, Banks urged him to shorten up his punches; Eubank promptly ignored him and spent much of the fourth throwing every punch with bad intentions, and particularly looking to land uppercuts to Szeremeta's body and his head.

In doing so he left himself a little open to Szeremeta's right hands in the fifth, but in the sixth Eubank fought with greater intensity. A hook to the body followed by a right hand upstairs dropped Szeremeta again, and the Polish fighter came out for the seventh on the edge of defeat.

In the event, it was a pair of body shots that brought the contest to an end in the seventh — two right hands to the solar plexus dropped Szeremeta to his knees, the second prompting the stoppage at 1.50 of the round.

“I was having fun in there,” said Eubank, like Szeremeta aged35, afterwards. “To be honest, I could have finished it in round one… Szeremeta is a tough guy. This guy kept coming. So I thought, ‘You know what? Body shots are the way to go.’”

One person who professed himself unimpressed was Benn, who jumped into the ring and jawed with his rival, seemingly setting them up to continue their fathers’ rivalry next.

Eubank Jr knocked Szeremeta down in the first round, the sixth round, and twice from body punches in the seventh round. Though Szeremeta beat the count, the referee halted the bout after the fourth knockdown. Eubank Jr connected on 43% of his jabs and landed 67 of them. 23% of Eubank Jr’s landed punches were body punches.

Neither fighter made much use of the jab. Opetaia landed 42% of his power punches. 41% of Opertaia’s landed punches were body punches. Opetaia hurt Massey with a body punch in the fifth round, and had landed 8 more body punches in the sixth round when Massey's corner threw in the towel.

A close bout was brought to a sudden end when both combatants went over the top rope at the end of the 5th round. Up to that point, Whittaker had landed 20 more jabs than Cameron, while Cameron had landed 8 more power punches than Whittaker. After Whittaker out-landed Cameron 65-45 over the first three rounds, Cameron out-landed Whittaker 44-36 over rounds four and five. Whittaker couldn’t continue after going over the top rope, so the fight went to the judge’s scorecards. One judge scored the fight 58-57 Whittaker, another judge scored it 58-57 for Cameron, and the third judge scored it a 58-58 draw.

Australia's Skye Nicolson overcame a difficult opening two rounds to keep her unbeaten record and her WBC featherweight title via unanimous decision over Britain's Raven Chapman. The contest, the first women's title fight to be staged in Saudi Arabia, was on the undercard of the Artur Beterbiev-Dmitry Bivol light-heavyweight unification fight at Riyadh's Kingdom Arena.

Chapman (9-1, 2 KOs) began brightly, using fast footwork and  upper-body movement to cut off the ring and seek to apply pressure and put Nicolson on the back foot. A short right hand from Chapman found its mark in the second, but already it was becoming clear that the Brit was using a lot of energy to work herself into a strong position without then throwing enough punches to press her advantage. 

By round three Nicolson (12-0, 1 KO) was beginning to gain her timing and distance, moving away from danger before Chapman could uncork a shot and seeking to time her with counters from mid-range.

By the fifth, Nicolson, 29, was starting to look comfortable, easing into a rhythm and landing effortlessly off the back foot. Seemingly discouraged by Nicolson increasingly controlling the action at mid-range, Chapman began reaching with her punches from distance, giving the Australian further opportunity to land crisp blows and circle away.

The 30-year-old Chapman was showing plenty of movement, but much of it was in straight lines, allowing Nicolson to consistently slide into a comfortable position, and with far too little end result. She broke through with some right hands in the ninth but Nicolson repeatedly responded with southpaw lefts of her own; and the 10th featured Nicolson in cruise control, picking off the onrushing Chapman down the stretch.

The end result was a formality. The ringside judges returned scores in the Australian's favor of 99-91, 98-92 and 98-92.

Nicolson landed 30% of her total punches and 33% of her power punches en route to winning a wide unanimous decision. Two judges scored the fight 98-92 and the third judge scored it 99-91.