David Papot caused an upset at London’s Copper Box Arena, defeating Harlem Eubank by unanimous decision.
Though France’s Papot did not come into the contest with the biggest profile, those who had watched his loss to newly crowned IBF welterweight champion Liam Paro last September understood the threat the Frenchman posed. He displayed his ability and power, dropping Eubank three times, and surviving one knockdown himself, on his way to win on away soil. The scorecards read 113-111, 115-110 and 115-109 in favor of the now 32-1-1 (5 KOs) Papot.
Eubank, now 22-2 (9 KOs), started by edging forwards with his awkward style but failing to cut off the ring as Papot skipped away. The Frenchman avoided nearly everything coming his way, but was caught by a right hand downstairs as the round came to a close.
Eubank, 32, finally landed his first telling punch early into the second, a right hand that knocked the head of Papot back. Eubank was firing wildly, and from all angles, but Papot was making him miss with ease. Papot, 35, then decided to stand and trade, cracking Eubank on the chin with a southpaw left hand that sent Eubank down in a heap. Eubank climbed to his feet but was rocked again by another left hand from Papot but, luckily for Eubank, the bell sounded shortly after.
Things got worse for Eubank who was cut under his right eye early into the third session. Papot could not miss with his left hand and Eubank seemed to be running out of ideas already. Papot was ‘old-manning’ Eubank, catching Eubank as he darted in recklessly and shoving him onto the ropes with his shoulder.
Eubank picked up his first round of the contest in the sixth, landing a sharp left hand as Papot lay on the ropes. Eubank then followed his best round by landing a hard right, followed by a left, early into the seventh session. Papot’s movement and pace had started to slow, and Eubank was now starting to find his feet. Eubank then dropped Papot with a left hook after slipping a shot from the Frenchman, however, Papot returned to his feet and saw out the round.
The pair traded hard shots in the eighth with both landing and a cut appearing over the right eye of Papot. The tide had now turned and the large lead that Papot had built up early was starting to disappear. Eubank had the better of the ninth, using his elusive style to come at Papot from all angles before landing his right hand.
Eubank was enjoying success in the 10th but disaster struck, Eubank switched off after landing a hard right hand and was caught with a left by Papot. The shot landed flush on Eubank’s chin and sent him backwards onto the canvas. Eubank was in a bad way but climbed back up to his feet, however, he was on the canvas again shortly after from another left hand. He again climbed back up and fought bravely to see out the session.
Eubank battled back well in the 11th, but he was heading into the 12th and final session undoubtedly in need of a knockout. Eubank, to his credit, went toe-to-toe with Papot in the final round, but was again hurt by a left hand from the Frenchman. Papot pushed himself for the knockout, but failed to land a shot that would have certainly had Eubank down for the fourth and final time.
Both men celebrated at the conclusion of the contest, but it was clear that the travelling Frenchman had done more than enough to secure the win, and was rightly awarded the decision on all three of the judges’ scorecards.
Before then, the heavyweight Matty Harris, 11-1 (7 KOs), returned to action in a six-round runout against Ben Vickers, 3-5-2 (1 KO). Harris, 26 and from Coventry, England, seemed happy to bank the rounds and showed no urgency to get his man out of there. Harris would land his sharp left jab but rarely threw anything with any spite after it. Vickers, 33, and having never previously been stopped, offered little in terms of output, but never seemed in trouble. In the end, the bout was an easy one to score, with the referee Amy Pu scoring the contest 60-54 in favor of Harris.
