LONDON, England – George Liddard claimed the vacant European middleweight title while stopping Dario Morello after eight one-sided rounds at the Copper Box Arena in London..
The traveling Italian was awkward, throwing looping shots from his southpaw stance, but Liddard was dominant throughout. Essex, England’s Liddard pushed for the stoppage throughout, dropping Morello in the eighth, with the Italian’s corner then pulling their man out before the ninth session could begin.
Morello, 33 and now 26-2 (4 KOs), looked to be a tricky customer in the opener, wildly firing his left hand over the top whenever Liddard came into range. Liddard, 24, caught Morello with a right hand on the top of the head that sent his foe into a spin. Morello’s legs weren’t beneath him and he stumbled across the ring in an attempt to avoid more damage.
Liddard was now enjoying himself, bouncing on his toes as he came out for the third round. Morello had little but his looping left hand in his arsenal, and Liddard had now figured it out. Morello would fire his left as his back hit the ropes, but Liddard would simply step back, watch the shot fly past, and crack Morello with a right hand.
The Italian’s days looked numbered as he held on every chance he got, but Liddard shrugged him off and landed a sharp uppercut. Morello then unloaded a flurry of shots in response, but he was punching air as Liddard had stepped away and watched on with a smile.
It was getting tough for Morello, whose head was continuously knocked back from Liddard’s sharp jab as he moved around the ring. It seemed as though the fight was being knocked out of the champion in the fifth; Morello was no longer firing back with his wild shots and had the look of worry when he returned back to his stool.
Things got worse for Morello in the seventh when he was cut over the right eye by one of Liddard’s attacks. Morello was hurt badly from a left hook early into the eighth and it seemed only a matter of time before Liddard finished matters.
Liddard, however, was too eager and smothered his work, giving Morello a chance.
It seemed as though Morello had done enough to survive a torrid round but was tagged by a short right hand on the inside and tumbled to the floor. The Italian climbed up but Liddard could sense he was spent and moved in for the finish.
Morello’s head was bouncing left to right as Liddard cracked him with shots from all angles. The referee was about to save Morello for another day when the bell sounded to signal an end to the session.
Morello returned to his corner but they had seen enough and retired their fighter.
Liddard, now 15-0 (9 KOs), was handed the vacant European title and now targets a world title in the next year.
His promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, named WBO middleweight champion Denzel Bentkey and Austin “Ammo” Williams as possible opponents next for Liddard.
Earlier, P A Gordon and Emmanuel Buttigieg fought to a draw when contesting the vacant English middleweight title.
Gordon, who boxes out of London’s famous Peacock Gym, seemed to land the cleaner shots in the majority of the rounds. His sharp left handed jab landed at will sometimes and Buttigieg struggled to deal with Gordon’s straight shots. Buttigieg, now 12-0-1 (4 KOs), had success of his own, landing his left hook with spite and clearly catching the judges’ eyes with his work. It seemed as though Gordon, now 9-0-1 (4 KOs), would be awarded the decision at the conclusion of the contest, and it seemed both fighters knew it too. Gordon’s trainer Martin Bowers seemed outraged when scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 95-95 were read out to declare the bout a draw.
Jimmy Sains, meanwhile, defeated Tom Cowling in a well-matched battle for the Commonwealth middleweight title.
Sains, 25 and 13-0 (10 KOs), looked comfortable in the opening sessions, controlling the fight with his straight shots and Cowling’s face was a bloody mess. Cowling, 29, then came back into it in the sixth, hurting Sains with a left hook and following it up to the body.
He again impressed in the next two sessions and Sains seemed to be struggling with the pace of the contest. Sains then rallied back to claim a victory via scores of 119-109 (twice) and 118-10. The cards were a little wide and did not show the now 15-2 (4 KOs)
Cowling’s spirited effort.
Tiah Mai Ayton picked up the biggest win of her professional career, and the vacant Commonwealth featherweight title, with a sixth round stoppage of Ellie Hellewell.
Ayton, now 7-0 (6 KOs), turned 20 this week and was given a real test by her promoter Eddie Hearn. Hellewell’s sole defeat had come against Tysie Gallagher for the British junior featherweight title, and was seen as an awkward assignment for Ayton.
However, the bout wasn’t competitive, Ayton was in control from the off, landing whatever and whenever she wanted. Hellewell, 26 and now 8-2-1 (1 KO), was pulled out by her cornerman Jason Cunningham after six one-sided rounds.
