Matchroom Oct 2020

By David A. Avila
Published: October 31st, 2020

Cruiserweights are not heavyweights as Oleksandr Usyk discovered in winning by decision over true heavyweight Derek Chisora on Saturday. Speed is not everything.

“I fought his fight. I was expecting even a tougher fight,” said Usyk.

Former cruiserweight world champion Usyk (18-0, 13 KOs) challenged the heavier and experienced heavyweight Chisora (32-10, 23 KOs) and found out that even with his speed he needed all of his skill just to win.

Chisora used his bulk and weight to overpower through Usyk’s movements in the first half of the fight. Body shots proved very effective against the Ukrainian fighter who complained every time he was hit on the body.

Around the fifth round Usyk began to exert his speed and combination punching against Chisora who visibly showed signs of tiring. Snapping lefts scored big for Usyk but few seemed to faze the big heavyweight.

Chisora seemed to find a second win in the ninth and 10^th rounds and just as Usyk began to find a groove, he suddenly was under a renewed attack. Body shot after body shot put Usyk back on his reverse gear.

But the true heavyweight just couldn’t close out the fight with a knockdown and after 12 rounds Usyk was declared the winner by unanimous decision 117-112 and 115-113 twice.

“It’s a real test in heavyweight, a big guy, a hard guy, it was beautiful boxing,” said Usyk in explaining how he won.

Chisora felt he had won the fight. He indeed pressed for all 12 rounds.

“I feel great, just disappointed. I was pushing the pace but the judges saw it a different way,” Chisora said. “You have to fight, not box. It’s the heavyweight pro game.”

Welcome to the heavyweights Usyk.

England’s New Champion

England’s Savannah Marshall (9-0, 7 KOs) slowly and deliberately dissected Scotland’s Hannah Rankin (9-5) to win the vacant WBO middleweight world title by stoppage on Saturday. There was no disputing the end.

Using angles and long rangy punches Marshall kept Rankin off-balance and probed repeatedly with rights and winging lefts. For the first three rounds Rankin was able to fend off attacks with head movement and sharp counters. After winning the first round Rankin discovered that it was merely the beginning.

In the seventh round a Marshall right uppercut landed flush under Rankins chin and wobbled the Scottish fighter. Though she remained upright it was clear she was hurt and Marshall unloaded a barrage that eventually forced Rankin to take a knee. The referee gave her a count and then waved the fight over at 1:59 of the seventh round.

“I watched the other Matchroom girls get their chances and I thought when is my chance ever going to come,” said Marshall. “Tonight it did. And I grabbed it with both hands.”

Other bouts

Australia’s George Kambosos Jr. (19-0, 10 KOs) out-hustled and landed the cleaner and heavier shots to defeat Lee Selby (28-3) by split decision after 12 rounds in a lightweight title fight.

One judge saw it 115-114 for Selby but two saw it 118-110 and 116-112 for Kambosos.

Tommy McCarthy (17-2, 8 KOs) won the vacant European cruiserweight title by majority decision over Belgium’s Bilal Laggoune (25-2-2) after 12 close rounds. Neither fighter was able to separate each other until the later rounds when McCarthy seemed to have more gas in the tank.

One judge scored it 114-114, while two others saw it 116-112 and 116-113 for McCarthy.

“I’m just living it. I’m delighted,” said McCarthy about winning the title over Louggoune. “He’s the biggest gentleman I’ve ever met.”

Super bantam title

A super bantamweight clash for the new British Commonwealth title between undefeated fighters Carly Skelly (3-0-1) and Amy Timlin (4-0-1) ended in a split draw despite the seemingly clear success by the fighter from Liverpool.

Skelly, a southpaw, charged in under the blows of Timlin and quickly found a home for repeated left hands. It was a formula that found success throughout the fight for Liverpool’s Skelly.

But apparently Timlin, who was the large betting favorite, convinced judges she was successful enough to win the fight on one judge’s card and a draw on another. She did have success in the fourth and fifth rounds when she was able to use her footwork and combinations at long range.

Most of the fight was fought inside where Skelly took advantage by slipping under Timlin’s blows and then countered with lefts up the middle between the guard. It proved successful for most of the fight.

In the final round Skelly pummeled Timlin’s body and moved up to the head. It seemed clear that Skelly dominated the last round.

After 10 rounds, one judge surprisingly scored it 96-95 for Timlin while another had it 97-96 for Skelly. A third saw it 95-95 thus making it a split draw.

More super bantams

Ramla Ali (1-0) used her abundance of talent to plow through the ultra-determined Eva Hubmayer (1-1) and win by unanimous decision after six rounds in a super bantamweight match.

Ali, a former amateur star originally from Somalia, was able to display her height, speed and length against the shorter and stockier Hubmayer. But despite the rapid fire blows Hubmayer just would not quit. It was a gutsy performance by Hubmayer who is originally from Germany. She just could not match the physical advantages and skills of Ali who won 60-54 according to the judge and referee.

“It was good to start with a win. But it was a bit messy,” said Ali, 31. “A bit of up of up and down.”