Photo Gallery: John O'Donnell vs Craig Watson; Lenny Daws vs Pete McDonagh

There were two titles at stake on Saturday April 11, at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.

In the main-event, Craig Watson put his Commonwealth welterweight crown on the line against challenger John O'Donnell in a battle of southpaws, while Lenny Daws and Pete McDonagh contested the vacant English light-welterweight title on the undercard.

Photographer Justin McKie was ringside to capture all the action from both exciting bouts.

Click on the photos to enlarge.

Craig Watson vs John O'Donnell The challenger, John O'Donnell makes his way to the ring. O'Donnell, fighting with plenty of hometown support enters the contest on a 5 fight winning streak and an overall record of 20 wins against only 1 defeat. The Commonwealth welterweight champion Craig Watson, enters the ring ready to make the second defense of the title he won from Ali Nuumbembe in December of 2007. The crafty Manchester fighter comes in with a record of 12 wins and only 2 defeats. The champion started well, and had the edge in the early rounds. O'Donnell came on strong during the mid-rounds. Here he catches Watson with a right hook. One of the many good exchanges during the grueling bout. O'Donnell fires a hook to the midsection, as Watson follows through with a left. Desperate to hang onto his crown, the tired champion digs deep and finds a home for his left hand. With the battle winding down, it's anyone's fight. The last few rounds were very tightly contested. Needing to win the final frame, and spurred on by the hometown crowd, the challenger lands a sharp uppercut. Referee Victor Loughlin raises the hand of the winner, as an elated Mick Hennessy looks on. The disappointment on the Watson side is clear. The scores were extremely close. Judge John Keane had Watson in front 116-113, while Judges James Davies and Dave Parris both had it 115-114 for O'Donnell. The new champion shows off his belt, before celebrating with his fans.

Lenny Daws vs Pete McDonagh Pete McDonagh gets warmed up on the pads. The Bermondsey fighter has been on a good run lately, with 6 wins in his last 8 fights. In his most recent bout, he earned a decision over the previously unbeaten Lee Purdy. Lightening Lenny Daws, a regular at York Hall comes into the bout with only 1 defeat in 20 professional contests. The Morden fighter, who once held the British 140 pound crown, drew with Nigel Wright in his previous attempt to win the English title. McDonagh started the bout very well and took the first couple of rounds. Here he catches Daws with a hard right hand. The action was intense, as both fighters were more than willing to come forward and mix it up. After getting off to a slow start, Daws found his footing and turned up the intensity. Here he pounds home a right hand between McDonagh's guard. As the bout wore on, Daws proved a little bit too strong for McDonagh, but the action was competitive all the way through. It's over. After 10 tough action packed rounds, Daws has his hand raised by referee John Keane. Keane's score was 97-94. The new champion proudly shows off the hard earned prize.

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Donaire Dominates Martinez; Viloria Knocks Out Solis

Andrew Fruman recaps the action from last night's (Sunday afternoon if you're in the Philippines) Top Rank show.

It was a good day for Filipino boxing, as both Nonito Donaire (pictured) and Brian Viloria treated the home crowd at Araneta Coliseum in Manila to stoppage victories.

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

In the main event, Donaire took care of business in impressive style with a TKO over previously unbeaten Raul Martinez. Using a sharp left jab and powerful combinations, which included some excellent body work, Donaire dominated the bout, sending Martinez to the canvas on 4 occasions. The final knockdown came at 2:42 of round 4, which prompted referee Pete Podgorski to call a halt to the action.

Donaire scored the first knockdown with a cross between an uppercut and a left hook that crashed into the side of the challenger’s jaw. Martinez chose to take the 8 count on his knee before rising and indicating he was good to go, but was down again before the opening frame was over. As was the case the first knockdown, Martinez didn’t appear hurt, but the gulf in class between the two fighters was abundantly clear.

The strategy for Martinez coming into the bout was to work his way inside against his taller opponent, but found it an impossible task. He came out aggressively for the second round, only to run into some well placed counters that included a left hook which deposited him on the canvas again.

Donaire was a little more restrained in the third round, choosing to use his jab more, but still had things all his own way. Other than landing the occasional right hand, Martinez just couldn’t get anything started.

Martinez landed a lunging right hand at one stage in the 4th round, but for the most part it was all Donaire. The final blow was a left uppercut that sent Martinez stumbling backwards, and had referee Podgorski signaling and end without a count. Martinez wasn’t in rough shape and was quick to protest the call, but given the one sided nature of the bout, it’s hard to find too much fault with the call.

In my opinion, there was no real value in the bout continuing. It's just one loss. Martinez can bounce back from that, while taking a really bad beating - and I think that was looking very likely - would have been tougher to rebound from.

As far as Nonito Donaire goes, I think it’s safe to say that a rematch with Vic Darchinyan is the bout everyone (other than maybe Joseph Agbeko and Gary Shaw) wants to see. C'mon Shaw, stop being an ass. If Vic gets by Agbeko, get him and Nonito signed up. Boxing fans want it. Vic wants it. Listen to your fighter! Let’s see it!

The co-main event…

Brian Viloria capped a terrific performance by knocking out Ulises Solis with a crunching right hand in the waning seconds of the 11th round. It was a spectacular finish to a bruising encounter, and a great moment for the 108 pound Hawaiian of Filipino descent, fighting for the first time in the county of his heritage.

Known more for his left hook, it was Viloria’s right hand that proved to be the story of the fight. He found a home for it right off the bat, stunning Solis on a couple occasions in the first round and continued to land the punch with authority, driving Solis back on multiple occasions in building an early lead.

Solis was most effective going to the body, especially with his left hook, although he also landed a number of right hands downstairs as well. After a rough start the dedicated body attack helped the rugged Mexican stay in the fight, but it also came at a price on the scorecards. Solis was penalized in both rounds 3 and 5 for punches that strayed south of the border.

To further his troubles in the 5th round, Solis also suffered a cut, just above and to the side of his right eye.

Undaunted by the deductions, Solis kept blasting away downstairs, and combined with an effective jab and some nice uppercuts, managed to mount a rally in the mid-rounds. After winning rounds 6 and 7 on my card – two rounds with featured several intense exchanges and great back and forth action – the 8th was up for grabs until Solis almost put Viloria down with seconds left in the round after catching the crowd favourite with a combination along the ropes.

The 9th round featured more bruising action, with Viloria rocking Solis early with a right hand and pressing his advantage by forcing the title holder into the ropes. Yet once again, as he had done all night long, Solis returned fire, digging to the body in a gutsy effort to get back his momentum. It was terrific back and forth stuff.

In the 10th, Viloria seemed to up his intensity, and the punishing toll of the battle was now clearly showing on the champ, who was starting to look a little ragged. Viloria was none too fresh either, but he continued to land the cleaner, flashier punches, and while Solis still gamely fought back, it wasn’t with the same vigor he’d shown in previous rounds.

Viloria’s upper hand became even more pronounced in the 11th, and while Solis had taken heavy leather all night without going down, it wasn’t a big surprise that he eventually gave way. Tired and bleeding from cuts around both eyes, he was still bravely coming forward, when he walked into the fight ending right hand.

It was a perfect shot on the money and Solis was down for at least a few worrisome minutes, before being helped to his stool. Eventually, he was able to get to his feet and received a warm round of applause from the appreciative crowd before leaving the ring.

As a fan, I’m always humbled when I see a fighter simply refuse to accept his fate, and Ulises Solis was the epitome of that tonight. That really was a hell of an effort. He took an awful lot of clean hard punches, especially to the head, yet remained grimly determined for as long as his body would allow.

Great win for Viloria, and especially satisfying having it take place in the Philippines.

If these two don’t go at it again, and given the grueling nature of the bout, I wouldn’t be surprised if Solis took some extended time off, how about Viloria against Ivan Calderon?

e-mail Andrew Fruman
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Shobox Recap: Gamboa stops Rojas, Aydin decisions Ouali

Michael Nelson recaps last night's Shobox card.

Rising Cuban star Yuriorkis Gamboa picked up the interim WBA "Ordinary" Featherweight Championship strap when he outclassed Jose Rojas, stopping him in 10. On the undercard, Selcuk Aydin earned a split decision over Said Ouali in an action packed welterweight bout.

Gamboa showed uncharacteristic caution early against Rojas, only throwing the occasional right hand along with a few flashy flurries as he got a look at the tall and awkward southpaw. Rojas managed to be fairly elusive, but offered little offense in return.

Gamboa turned up the heat in the 3rd. Controlling the round with right hands to the body, he threw some of his patented long combinations in the final minute. The audience roared in appreciation. Rojas was still largely elusive, but came away from the violence with a right eye that was quickly closing.

While Rojas had his moments in the first three rounds, it was becoming clear in the fourth and fifth that he didn't have much of a chance outside of a knockout. Gamboa was fighting smart, and proved to be far too quick for Rojas to land many serious blows. Rojas lost his balance in the 5th, and while referee Russell Mora incorrectly called it a knockdown, the bout was becoming academic.

Rojas' eye was nearly shut by the middle portion of the fight and Gamboa turned up the pressure accordingly. Exhibiting a well-timed left hook, he countered Rojas nearly every time Rojas attempted a punch.

Still determined to avoid recklessness, Gamboa let his foot off the pedal in the 8th and 9th rounds, choosing to potshot and counter his over-matched foe rather than push for a stoppage. The doctor and Russell Mora took a look at Rojas' badly swollen eye before the bell sounded for the 10th and reluctantly let him fight another round. After Gamboa landed a few more stinging right hands and started trying to put his punches together, Mora decided he had seen enough and stopped the proceedings.

Good call; the fight had become a bloodletting. There was no real point in risking serious injury to the 37 year old Rojas' eye by letting him continue to get smacked with left hooks and right hands.

Somehow, born out of the increasingly nonsensical politics of the four major organizations, this was considered a title fight. Nevertheless, Chris John is recognized as the real WBA champion, and Gamboa's team has openly targeted the winner of Chris John's June 27th rematch with Rocky Juarez. Gamboa is still raw, but he showed poise and patience we haven't seen against Rojas, and his explosive athleticism makes him a formidable contender.

The undercard was far more competitive. It seems that's becoming a pattern with ShoBox.

Said Ouali and Selcuk Ayid put on quite a show. Ayid was the aggressor for most of the bout, often pushing Said to the ropes and pounding him with uppercuts and body shots. Throwing relentless combinations, Ayid repeatedly snapped Ouali's head back with blows between the gloves.

Ouali controlled the bout when it was fought in the middle of the ring, which is why his trainer, Roger Mayweather, admonished him to stay off the ropes in between several of the rounds.

Ouali's punches were more effective as well. Ayid had a visible reaction nearly every time Ouali landed a straight left or right hook to the body. Nevertheless, he remained stubborn, seeking rest and counter opportunities along the ropes as he got swarmed with punches.

The fight was razor close going into the 12th. Ouali turned up the pressure and rocked Ayid with a straight left in the final moments. But it was too little, too late as the judges favored Ayid's activity over Ouali's economy. The scores were 115-112 and 116-111 for Ayid, with a dissenting score of 114-113 for Ouali.

Ayid would make a good fight with any mid-level contender in the welterweight division, while Ouali remains a dangerous fighter. I wouldn't mind seeing more of either man in the future.

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Mark's Top 40 at 40: (15-13)

Mark Lyons is back with the latest installment of his top 40 list. If you're not familiar with Mark's countdown, make sure to check out his previous entries: Intro, 40-36, 35-31, 30-26, 25-21, 20-16.

This week Mark counts down numbers 15, 14 and 13.

15. Rafael Marquez Career Record: 37-5 (33) Three Favorite Fights: Israel Vazquez III LSD12, Tim Austin TKO8, Mark Johnson II TKO8 Obviously, I could just put down all three of the fights from one of histories greatest trilogies, but i would be remiss if I failed to mention some of the other wars waged by arguably the preeminent action fighter of his era. Everything starts behind one of the most knifing and powerful jabs I have ever seen. From there, Marquez unleashes awe inspiring text book power combinations. The man is a precision punching bad ass that can rank with the very best Bantamweights of the last 30 years. Though former Flyweight great, Mark Johnson was far from his best at bantam, he still had plenty left for their 2 encounters, and Tim Austin is an under appreciated, long reigning champion. He's another one of thoses warriors that some people label "chinny", but I'll always take a fighter that's willing to trade bombs and get clipped a few times in the process, and more often than not, his opponent is the one sniffing smelling salts. All 3 fights with Izzy, especially the last one - which was right up there with Arguello/Pryor in terms of action and violence - had an intensity rarely seen in a prize ring. I have no idea how much is left in his tank after those 25 unforgettable rounds. But I do know for a fact that when the first bell sounds, Raffy will march out to beat the crap out of the man in front of him, more than willing to go out on his shield if that's where the fight takes him. What's not to like?

14. Wilfredo Gomez Career Record: 44-3-1 (42) Three Favorite Fights: Lupe Pintor TKO14, Carlos Zarate TKO5, Derrick Holmes TKO5 Bazooka had trouble getting fights at Bantam, but strapped the young Jr Featherweight division on his back and carried it like a champion. His fights were a staple on the networks since he always brought the pain. He ground guys to bits more than he destroyed them with single shots and he was more capable than great above 122, but it sure was a hell of a ride. One fight that I had to view years later because it wasn't televised was his demolition of the seemingly invincible Carlos Zarate. That was even more lopsided and destructive than what Salvador Sanchez did to him at Featherweight. The difference 4 lbs can make to such diminutive fighters is quite amazing. Many younger fans may not have seen the NBC Friday Night Fights debut against Derrick Holmes. It was a true grudge match in which Holmes was able to rock Bazooka on several occasions before taking an ungodly amount of punishment. He handled the tough Juan Laporte at 126, but fell short against all time greats Sanchez and Nelson. Who knows if the lures of beautiful Puerto Rico shortened his prime, or if that was just all he had to give. It was a lot though in a short period of time. In all honesty, his all time historical placing is probably a bit high, but I'll never forget watching those little fists flail away on one challenger after another. Wilfredo was exciting and I loved watching him.

13. Felix Trinidad Career Record: 42-3 (35) Three favorite Fights: Fernando Vargas TKO12, Maurice Blocker KO2, William Joppy TKO5 "TITO, TITO, TITO".... the atmosphere at his fights was off the charts. It was a celebration! Coming to the ring with a smile on his face that hid his lust to smash his opponent with his destructive fists. Felix had his flaws, and was a bit one dimensional, but oh what a dimension it was. He burst on to the scene with an absolutely horrific massacre of Maurice Blocker, and from there his stock rocketed. It wasn't the greatest list of victims for a Welterweight Champion, but the way he disposed of them was as memorable as anyone who came before or after him. One challenger after another finished with a brutality and flare that made him must see TV. "The Fight Of The Millennium" turned out to be a dud, though it wasn't Trinidad's fault. While I must admit that I scored the bout for Oscar, my wallet and my heart smiled when those tactics weren't rewarded with a victory. William Joppy is an underrated win. While I wouldn't call any of Joppy's title reigns significant, he was a tough and serviceable middleweight that nobody else was able to destroy with the ease and ferocity that Tito closed the show with. It took a fighter like Trinidad to clue the world into the brilliance that is Bernard Hopkins. There's no shame in losing to a legend, and he made Hopkins work his ass off in a fight that was more tense than it was close. Then after creating a new planet on the face of Hacine Cherifi, the magic was suddenly gone, although he still came back to shut the flapping gums of Ricardo Mayorga. Not sure what it is about modern Puerto Rican stars, but their flames seem to burn out as quickly as they blaze across the boxing landscape. While Tito has many critics these days, I will forever be a proud fan. The man always went for the kill. He sucked it up and got off to canvas only to continue the hunt for a knockout. And while the days of a prime Felix Trinidad are behind us, I will always have my memories and tapes whenever I feel like watching a master assassin at work. "TITO...TITO...TITO"

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British Scene Weekend Preview

Dave Oakes previews Friday night's match-up for the vacant British super-bantamweight title between Commonwealth bantamweight champion Jason Booth and undefeated southpaw Mark Moran.

Friday April 17 Jason Booth vs Mark Moran (SKY) By Dave Oakes Jason Booth faces Mark Moran this Friday in an exciting and intriguing fight for the vacant British super-bantamweight title at the Indoor Sports Centre, Leigh, England. Booth, the Commonwealth bantamweight champ, will be taking part in his first fight up at super-bantamweight after a long and distinguished career in both flyweight and bantamweight divisions. He was originally scheduled to challenge Lee Haskins in a British super-flyweight title fight, whilst Moran was originally due to face Matthew Edmonds. The fight was made after both Edmonds and Haskins pulled out, Edmonds was struggling to make the weight and Haskins picked up an unspecified arm injury in training. Despite the step-up in weight for Booth, there isn’t a great size difference between the two men. Moran is half an inch taller than Booth and is slightly bigger built but they both have the same reach. The major gulf between them will be experience and technical ability, both of which favour Booth. The fight has to be considered as a big step up in class for the unbeaten Moran. This will be his first major title fight; whereas Booth will be participating in his twelfth. Booth has also boxed quality opponents like Damaen Kelly and Dale Robinson for minor belts. Moran is an aggressive southpaw who likes to fight for the full three minutes of every round. This has suited him well so far in his short career but he’s only boxed four and six rounders in all but one of his fights. He was looking to be running out of energy in his only fight scheduled for ten rounds before he produced a late rally to stop the game but limited Danny Wallace in the ninth round. Booth won’t be bothered by Moran’s southpaw stance as he’s fought many southpaws in his career, including a superb win last time out against Sean Hughes, who he out-boxed and stopped in ten one-sided rounds. Booth will be looking to counter Moran and box in flashy bursts rather than trying to match the younger mans work rate. I’d be surprised if Moran won this fight but I expect him to put up a brave fight. I believe Booth will be too fast, slick and skillful for Moran to cope with, with Moran losing on points in what should be an enjoyable fight for the fans. e-mail Dave Oakes

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Topic of the Week: Paul Williams

With his dominating win over Winky Wright last Saturday, Paul Williams sent a message that he's a legit middleweight threat. Should he go after Kelly Pavlik? Or take care of unfinished business at 147? Or try and settle in at 154?

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

We asked our writers to give their thoughts on what they would like to see next from the talented southpaw.

What would you like to see next from Paul Williams? "I want to see him get his chance at Kelly Pavlik. While Williams has never been in with a big hitting middleweight, or even a real power puncher at any weight, Pavlik would actually have to hit him more than a few times, and that's not going to be easy when you consider the athletic difference between the two and the champ's unproven counter punching ability." - Lee Payton "I don't have much interest in seeing Williams at welterweight anymore. While there's plenty of talent at 147, I think he's just too big for those guys. If a fight with Pavlik or Abraham can be made, I'd like to see it, but since they are rumored to be fighting each other later this year, perhaps looking at 154 would be best. I'd love to see Williams against either Kirkland or Angulo. He's a little ahead of those guys in terms of experience, but they're both strong as hell and I think will push him harder than anyone at 147 could." - Andrew Fruman "I agree that Williams should look at 154 since Pavlik's locked up for the rest of 2009 and Abraham will likely move up a division after fighting Pavlik. Fighting the winner of Dzinziruk/Kirkland would be a good move, and how well they perform against each other will tell us more on what their chances are against P-Will. I believe Angulo will handle Kermit Cintron easily and his performance should drum up some interest for a matchup with him. Daniel Santos is a dangerous opponent as well. Most of these guys are hungry so Paul has options." - Michael Nelson

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Early Thoughts on Klitchko vs Haye, Cotto vs Clottey & Darchinyan vs Agbeko

By Lee Payton

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Boxing's competitive landscape remains fresh and exciting with three upcoming fights, featuring some of the sport's best.

David Haye had to sign a horrible contract, but he will finally get his mitts on Wladimir Klitschko (pictured right). In a battle of top Welterweights, Miguel Cotto is battling the very dangerous Josh Clottey, at Madison Square Garden. And Vic Darchinyan is facing off with a tough Bantamweight from Ghana, "King Kong" Agbeko.

Here's what I think we can expect when they climb into the ring...

Klitschko vs. Haye

The answer almost seems obvious, which is rare when you've got elite fighters going at it. Here you've got two men who can't take near what they dish. Either could end matters at any point.

The former Cruiserweight Champ from Britain sports a dazzling 22-1 (21) record, which demonstrates not only the explosive power in his fists, but also his lust for the knockout. He's an assassin. The one time he lost as a pro, was when someone could take the incoming without hitting the deck. Granite hard, Carl Thompson soaked up incredible punishment before knocking out the utterly gassed challenger a few years back.

It's the same job journeyman Ross Puritty pulled on Klitschko over 10 years ago. Since then Wlad has left a ton of men senseless on his way to a 52-3 (46) record. Recently, his vulnerability has mostly been tucked away intelligently by Manny Steward, who has preached patience and self-preservation since his arrival. To Wlad, winning comes first. The knockout usually just happens somewhere along the line.

And that difference in mentality should be the decider. In a race to the knockout, gimme the fighter on the attack.

Haye by early KO. Bring on Big Brother.

Cotto vs. Clottey

You've got the dynamic offensive sensation, with questionable whiskers against the steady, unspectacular counter puncher, who apparently can't be hurt. It's an intriguing clash of styles that is sure to bring the best out of both fighters.

Photo © Marty Rosengarten / Ringsidephotos.com

Clottey (pictured left) has really only fought on this level once before, and in that fight he showcased a beautiful counter left hook, as well as a jaw of steel. We've never really seen him hurt before, but he's also never faced an attack like Miguel Cotto's.

Antonio Margarito had a damn good beard, and he took some massive shots before grinding the Puerto Rican down in 11 scintillating rounds, last year. While Clottey seems to have the same ability to soak up punishment, he doesn't apply that type of non-stop pressure. He's more likely to counter an attack from his high guard.

So who wins? In my opinion, that depends on Cotto. Many have been critical of the plan he used in the Margarito fight, but it could serve him very well against this guy. With some movement, he should be able to control the pace of the fight.

I've noticed that Clottey has a little bit of Winky Wright in him. When the opponent fires off a combination with quickness, he doesn't counter, but rather waits for them to finish, and then looks to respond. He also rarely counters with anything but his hook.

If Miguel is disciplined and well-conditioned enough to move a little, fire rapid combinations, and then get out of the way again, he gives himself his best chance to come out on top. I don't think he can win a head-to-head firefight.

Clottey will be there all night. And every time Cotto plants his feet to throw a hook with something on it, he'll be there with his own.

Cotto by gritty decision if he brings his wheels and a healthy fear. Clottey by TKO if Miguel gets too brave.

Darchinyan vs. Agbeko

Photo © Tim Barry / timbarry.wetpaint.com

Vic Darchinyan (pictured right) wants to test his mallet of a left hand against the toughest Bantamweights in the world. He could hardly have picked a tougher assignment than the scrappy Agbeko, who will be making a steep climb in competition.

Agbeko doesn't have the flair, power or mouth of his opponent, but he is a game competitor, who is very capable of the upset. In his last fight, he won a gutty majority decision over southpaw William Gonzalez, so he knows how to dig deep. To come out victorious in that kind of bruising affair is impressive on it's own, though I suspect he did so with a damaged left hand, because he didn't used it at all for long stretches during the fight.

Perhaps Darchinyan's people missed it, like the commentators and most fans. Maybe they assume this is a safe 118 lb debut because of how ordinary "King Kong" looked in the second half. That would be a big mistake. This guy can fight. Can he take Darchinyan's best? I'm not sure.

I'll gamble a little bit and take the slightly bigger man to rough Vic up, on his way to a close decision win. I think Agbeko's got the strength and courage to mess with the outside rhythm that Darchinyan depends on.

e-mail Lee Payton
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British Scene Weekend Recap

Matt Chudley recaps all the action from the Hennessy Sports show this past Saturday night at York Hall in Bethnal Green.

The main event featured Craig Watson defending his Commonwealth belt against John O'Donnell. Also on the card was promising young heavyweight Tyson Fury, along with an exciting 10 round clash for the British light-welterweight crown between Lenny Daws and Pete McDonagh.

Photos © Justin McKie

Saturday April 11 O'Donnell edges Watson By Matt Chudley John O'Donnell dethroned Craig Watson via a controversial split decision on Saturday at the historic York Hall to take the Commonwealth welterweight title. While the contest may have been lacking in clean punches, both fighters gave everything they had in a hard fought grueling battle. Watson, who had been out of action for almost a year due to promotional disputes, started the stronger of the two southpaws. He looked purposeful and aggressive in the opening round and managed to successfully work his way inside on his taller opponent. O’Donnell appeared more composed in an even second round, but Watson did the better work over the next two frames. Using a lunging lead right hand and an uppercut in the clinch, Watson managed to combat O’Donnell’s awkward style; the Londoner forgoes the conventional jab, fighting with his right hand low and using the shoulder roll to slip incoming fire. The fight took a turn towards the end of the 5th when O'Donnell managed to back his man onto the ropes and fire away aggressively. O’Donnell continued to be more positive in his approach looking to push and turn Watson onto the ropes where he would try and load up with left and right hooks. In the 7th round, one such flurry visibly shook Watson, sending him sagging backwards onto the ropes, although the man from Manchester managed to remain on his feet. Having mocked the challengers power in the pre-fight buildup, Watson now seemed to have gained respect for it and adapted his approach by switching to counter-puncher. O'Donnell meanwhile seemed to take the next couple of rounds make his own subsequent adjustments. With both fighters exhausted from the spirited contest, there was little to choose between the two battling southpaws in the three final rounds, although the best punch of the late going was a straight left from Watson in the 12th. The scores were extremely tight with Judges Dave Parris and Richie Davis both seeing it 115-114 O'Donnell to John Keane's 116-113 for Watson. I had Watson in front at the end, as did many others, including colour commentator Duke McKenzie, Barry McGuigan and both Boxing News and Seconds Out by margins ranging from one to three rounds. Cynical observers may have noted that Watson was between promoters and in his opponent’s back yard, but given the closely contested nature of many of the rounds, the verdict was going to be debated no matter who came out on the winning end. Following the victory promoter Mick Hennessey vowed to seek a European title shot for his charge. A more probable next fight for the Londoner would be a first defense against 18-1 Northern Irish fighter Stephen Haughian who stopped the overmatched Drew Campbell (he came in with 1 victory in 9 outings) in a round on the undercard. Though wanting an immediate rematch, no matter who he faces, Watson will be eager for work under his new employer, Hayemaker promotions. On the undercard… Fast rising heavyweight prospect Tyson Fury disposed of the undersized Matthew Ellis in less than 50 seconds. Giving up 7 inches in height and over 50lbs in weight Ellis knew that he would have to try and get inside to test the unproven chin of the younger fighter. Having closed the distance Ellis quickly found himself under heavy fire, with Fury’s first right hand buckling his legs and the follow-up flurry sending him to the canvas. After getting up at the count of 8, Ellis was quickly put down again, where he wisely chose to remain for the full count. There was also an entertaing 10 rounder to open the telecast. After a lively opening round from Pete McDonagh, Lenny Daws's superior strength and stamina proved too much for the game Bermondsey fighter in their clash for the vacant English light-welterweight title. e-mail Matt Chudley

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Impressive Williams Batters Wright

By Lee Payton

Photo © Ray Kasprowicz

Middleweight contender, Paul Williams was too big and too fresh for 37 year old Winky Wright. He dominated a fighter who has made a career of hanging with the very best in the business, living up to his claim as the most dangerous man in boxing.

Wright displayed a champion's heart, but was a step behind all night against his ultra-gifted opponent. As hard as he tried to turn it into his kind of fight, the younger man just wouldn't sit still long enough. The result was the first lopsided loss in an excellent career.

The first round saw the two determined fighters going at it in a struggle for control and the stubbornness of the fighters made for heated action. Williams let loose with over 100 punches, while Wright pressed forward steadily in search of opportunities to counter.

"The Punisher" grabbed rounds 2-5 with superior quickness and output, not worrying about whether his punches landed clean. He just kept throwing leather, with some of it finding it's way around Wright's famous high guard and the rest keeping him busy. Not only was Paul throwing and landing more, but by the 4th, he was also finding openings for his hardest shots.

Wright was able to pick his spots more effectively in the 6th. He smacked right hooks upstairs and down during many sustained toe to toe exchanges. It was probably Winky's best round of the fight, and the last he would win on my card

From there it was "The Paul Williams Show". He showcased all of the elements that make him a complete fighter, not just another tall, ballsy fighter. The man has some slick moves, knowledge of angles, the ability to vary the velocity on his punches, and some snappy combination punching. Pound-for-pound stuff. Wright had never seen anything like it.

Though obviously way down on the cards, the former Jr. Middleweight Champion never folded. In fact, when Williams came out for the 10th round with what he hoped would be a fight-ending assault, Winky just kept his hands up and grinned, as if to say "Who do you think you're in with, son?"

It was an honest effort from a real professional who passed the "fighter to avoid" torch to a worthy successor.

Two judges had it 11-1, while the other scored a shutout for Williams.

So what's next for these two?

Winky was better than many people expected last night, and while I feel he still has something left, it might be best for him to retire. He's been to the top already, and took the hard road to get there, does he really need to get back in line at this stage? Sure, he's still good enough beat some of the other contenders at 160, but how many big money options does he have left?

I guess he could win a couple fights and be back in line for one of the belts. Maybe he should gun for Felix Sturm.

The man loves boxing, so he'll be back. I would expect to see him on ESPN2 later in the year.

As for Williams, the sky's the limit. In the ring, he seems to have it all and now he has the backing of HBO, which will make it a lot harder for the big players at 147-160 to just look the other way. Hopefully they put pressure on Bob Arum to give Paul a shot at his Middleweight Champion, Kelly Pavlik, but don't hold your breath. Bob is a smart guy.

Personally, I think Williams would dominate Pavlik. What edge does the champ have, other than one shot power? He'd be up against a real fighter, and a much better athlete, who is sure to get off first with the most all night long.

Of course there are those who will say "Williams gets hit, and Pavlik is a true middleweight with power"

True. But I think that if Paul had chin issues, they'd have shown up by now. He's taken some very good shots right on the button without blinking in past fights, so I have faith in his ability to take a shot.

Don't forget, Kelly actually has to land his right hand, and he won't have an easy time finding the target against this guy. In my opinion he's not quick or accurate enough to win. If the fight comes off, you can bet Paul will send Top Rank back to the drawing board.

What about Arthur Abraham? I'm not sure this will ever happen, but I'd take Williams here too. The German title holder hasn't shown the fire necessary to be the boss in that fight. He'd be playing defense for 2 minutes and 30 seconds of every round. I suppose there is a small possibility that Art ends it out of nowhere.

Some are beating the drum for Williams to face hard-charging lefty, James Kirkland. While Kirkland would surely make it fun for as long as it lasts, he's too green to deal with the incoming. Williams by KO.

Paul Williams has arrived, and he's willing to fight anyone. The man is a mix of old-school warrior mentality and modern athleticism that is pure hell for anyone from welter to middleweight. I've been a believer for quite awhile now. If you're still not convinced, it's simply a matter of time. He's the goods.

Cris Arreola opened the show by knocking out an old and ill-prepared Jameel McCline. A left uppercut-right hand combo hurt McCline, and a follow-up right sent him to the canvas for the ten count in the 4th round.

Arreola is a fun guy who can make some noise and money in today's heavyweight division, but I'm not sure why anyone should take him seriously as a possible heavyweight champion at this point. He needs to lose some weight and fight a live body.

Larry Merchant was great, as always, but he's never been shy about his quest for another decent American Heavyweight Champion. Remember how in love he was with Michael Grant?

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Friday Night Fights Recap

By Lee Payton

Jr. Middleweight, David Lopez, used his southpaw stance and quicker hands to score a unanimous decision over hard man, Ossie Duran. It was a relatively uneventful fight because Lopez used smart footwork to handcuff his opponent, and never really strayed from the script. Duran turned it up slightly in the middle and late rounds, but it was not enough to overcome the technical difficulties he had in there.

The scores were 97-93, 96-94, 96-94.

DeMarcus "Chop Chop" Corley wore a Predator mask into the ring, but he would not get his prey on this night because of three complete hacks.

He was the aggressor from the outset, worked harder throughout, was clearly the more comfortable fighter in the ring and scored a clean knockdown in the 3rd round.

Despite this, the judges came up with 77-74, 77-74, 77-74, for his Puerto Rican opponent, the undefeated Hector Sanchez. I'm going to give Allan Perrault, Dereck Zazuetta, Dennis O'Connell the benefit of the doubt and assume they are just totally inept, and not corrupt.

Chop Chop won that fight.

Rookie Karl Dargan of Philadelphia, moved to 4-0 (2) to start things off. He's an athletic kid who was a good amateur, but the thing that caught my eye was the way he worked behind a dedicated left jab. When was the last time you saw a real young fighter pop a jab 40+ times a round? He's trained by Naazim Richardson, so he could become a very good fighter.

Oscar De La Hoya took some time to chat with Brian Kenny and Teddy Atlas about the announcement he plans on making next week. They seemed to think he was going to pull the plug on his career. I suspect he's going to stick around for just one more.

e-mail Lee Payton
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Williams vs Wright Predictions

On Saturday night, Paul "The Punisher" Williams takes on tough and crafty former World Champion, Winky Wright. Can Paul handle this class of fighter? Does Winky still have some fight left?

Here are our predictions...

I've seen deterioration in Wright since he fought Soliman. I can't imagine 20 months off is what he needed to cure his rapid decline. Couple that with the fact that an active fighter has always posed problems for Wright and I see a complete white washing.There is no possible scenario for a Wright victory in my view. Williams wins every round until the corner stops it in the late rounds. -Mark Lyons

If Wright hasn't lost much during his long layoff I think he has what it takes to beat Williams. Williams is good, but I'm not sure he's ready for a guy with an educated jab who's never been knocked out. I see a close decision in Wright's favor because Williams throws with enough volume to keep it tight. - John Vaci

I've always had a soft spot for Wright but I can't see him winning this fight. Williams is the younger, hungrier, more athletic fighter. If you add Williams' height and reach advantages and Wright's inactivity into the mix, then it makes for a one-sided fight. I think Wright's experience and mental toughness will be enough for him to make it to the final bell but I envisage a wide points decision in favour of Williams. -David Oakes

Paul Williams of today against the Winky Wright of 3-4 years ago would be a pick-em fight. Now, with Wright getting older and coming off a nearly two year hiatus, I'd give the definitive edge to Williams. How much of the old Winky's left is a bit of a mystery. But he's never been dominated or anywhere close to getting stopped since the Vasquez fight 15 years ago, and he's been in against tough opposition for the last 3rd of his career. That means something. I think he'll put a good fight. I wouldn't be shocked if Wright continued the recent trend of old fighters beating young volume punchers who were penciled in to conquer them. But with a 21 month layoff, I see Williams outworking him for a 116-112 decision. -Michael Nelson

The fight really depends on what Winky shows up and how old that Winky is. If it's the Wright who doggedly sticks to his defensive, jab and turtle shell style whether it's working or not, he will lose. But if it's the Wright who came forward and worked inside on Jermain Taylor, then I think he has a chance to make it a good fight and maybe pull the mild upset. Winky takes a lot of crap at times for his safety first approach, but he can actually be pretty gritty. I wouldn't necessarily be surprised to see Winky win the fight, but I think at this stage of the game he's not hungry enough to do what it takes, and his recent flat footed style is going to be a tough sell against Williams' bunches of punches. For Williams, he just needs to swamp Wright and keep him at bay. I expect Winky to have some moments, but for Williams to win by decision as the older man just can't keep up. -Jeff Pryor

The age and lay-off will have Winky stuck in the mud enough for Paul to beat him 9-3. He'll have to fight hard to win those rounds, and will learn a few things along the way. -Lee Payton

Williams is an exciting fighter with a ton of talent, but he's still not polished enough for me to pick him here, even against what is reasonable to assume will be a somewhat diminished version of Winky Wright. I'm taking the cagey vet in a close one. - Andrew Fruman

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British Scene Weekend Preview

Matt Chudley previews this Saturday's Commonwealth Welterweight Title bout between Craig Watson and John O'Donnell.

Also on the card, making his 5th pro appearance will be big young heavyweight Tyson Fury (pictured).

Photo © Justin McKie

Saturday April 11 Craig Watson vs John O'Donnell (ITV4) By Matt Chudley Once again, the York Hall in Bethnel Green plays host to televised boxing, this time to a Hennessy Sports card headlined by Craig Watson's defense of his Commonwealth Welterweight title against John O'Donnell. The fight marks the first return to serious action for the house fighter O'Donnell, since his American unveiling on the undercard of the De La Hoya-Mayweather mega-fight almost two years ago. Through his connections with Golden Boy, promoter Mick Hennessy managed to gain undercard slots for his two brightest prospects, O’Donnell and lightweight John Murray. The publicity tour, which included sparring with Shane Mosley, took a disastrous turn when O'Donnell was stopped in two by Mexican journeyman Christian Solano. Watson, who achieved some notoriety for dropping Amir Khan in the amateurs, upset the odds to capture the Commonwealth belt from the highly regarded Ali Nuumbembe in December of 2007. He subsequently defended the belt against Matthew Hatton, although between those fights, suffered a TKO defeat at the hands of Italian Danielle Petrucci on a short notice trip to the continent. With both fighters being tall southpaws who lack power, the fighter with the superior boxing skills and conditioning will likely prevail in a distance fight. For me, that’s Craig Watson, but many (including the bookmakers) feel this fight could go either way. I think those picks might be slightly influenced by the previous hype surrounding O’Donnell and the faith of his promoter in making this fight. We’ll find out on Saturday night. The undercard... The televised undercard features the most talked about novice fighter in the UK in the shape of young Tyson Fury. The twenty year old has been extremely active since turning pro, having fought 4 times in 4 months, stopping all of his opponents including the 21-3 Marcell Zeller in only his second fight. The talkative youngster, claiming to be the future of the division, has been dishing insults at fellow heavyweight hopeful David Price. Price opened up his professional ledger a couple weeks ago with a victory on the undercard of the Dodson-Quigley show, and Saturday night will be Fury's turn to make the next statement. Later this month, he'll be flying out to the states to fight on the Carl Froch – Jermain Taylor undercard Also in action is Lenny Daws, who will be looking to get back into British title contention by beating Pete McDonagh in a ten rounder for the English light-welterweight title. e-mail Matt Chudley

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