‘Back in Belfast’ – LIVE RINGSIDE UPDATES
After over six months away, Irish-Boxing.com are back in Belfast tonight for the ‘Back in Belfast’ card.
A small hall show to its core, the seven fight bill at the Shorts Sports and Social Club on the Holywood Road sees debuts and comebacks galore as Luke Wilton headlines in a testing return to the ring.
The running order for the card in the atmospheric bear-pit of a venue can be seen HERE
We will be providing live round-by-round updates throughout the night which you can see below:
(Keep refreshing page to see updates)
11:43pm: That’s us for the night. Hope you enjoyed our live updates of ‘Back in Belfast’.
11:42pm: 60-53 to Wilton! Back in business and now 18(7)-5(1)-1. Score slightly harsh on Georgiev considering the final round.
Round 6: Georgiev comes back STRONG in the final round, landing big shots early and pushing Wilton all the way – it won’t be enough on the final cards, however, one thinks.
Round 5: Pace has slowed slightly here in the fifth, Wilton well on top as Georgiev’s output drops. Into the final round we go.
Round 4: Great fourth round, Wilton has Georgiev hurt badly, keeled over, but the visitor recovers, firing back and landing clean shots in the closing stages.
Round 3: Wilton stalking in the third, sneaking in some nice body shots.
Round 2: Wilton going for the kill here, attacking the body, driving Georgiev to the ropes, the Bulgarian goes down! Up and not looking to be enjoying himself Georgiev manages to survive an onslaught to the body and lands a big right himself.
Round 1: Wilton has Georgiev hurt to the body early! Fast start from Winky against a dangerous opponent.
11:15pm: Time for the main event of the evening – Luke Wilton v Georgi Geogiev over six rounds.
11:10pm: 40-36 to Tony Nellins! Great match for a comeback.
Round 4: Big right hands from Mitev in the final round! Nellins bites down on the gumshield, though, and drives forward, slugging in bodyshots while rested on the Bulgarian’s chest.
Round 3: Close third. Wild swing from Mitev is met by ‘The Billy Joe’ from Nellins who stands off, inviting his man on; Mitev initially does not oblige before finally going toe-to-toe as both rip shots to the body.
Round 2: More good action in the second, competitive scrap – but Nellins is more than shading it.
Round 1: Nellins the busier and takes the opener but gets clipped a couple of times by the wild, heavier swings of Mitev.
10:52pm: Here we go! Big crowd for Nellins as ever.
10:46pm: Next up is always-entertaining Belfast welter Tony Nellins who has a tough fight with Radoslav Mitev over four rounds.
10:38pm: 40-38 to – long pause – Cathy McAleer! She survives a massive debut scare to get the win,
Round 4: Huge right hands from Hristova at the start of the final round, McAleer showing serious guts – the mouthshields out, referee doesn’t see, they keep going… finally stopped. McAleer gets a breather, comes firing back, they trade to the bell, what a fight!
Round 3: An out-and-out brawl here. The rounds are only two minutes long but more was landed in that round than most men’s fights. Both just standing toe-to-toe slugging.
Round 2: McAleer trying to be smart, switching upstairs and don but is being walked down by her Bulgaran foe – a strong finish though may have stolen the round.
Round 1: WAR! They go toe-to-toe from the off, McAleer cut on the inside of her left brow almost immediately and takes a lot of leather in the opener. The former karate and kickboxing star lands plenty herself but could be a round down on the cards.
10:22pm: Big reception for Cathy McAleer who is cornered by the legendary John Breen.
10:19pm: Up next is the debut of Belfast super fly Cathy McAleer. She fights Teodora Hristova over four twos.
10:18pm: 40-37 to Conor Cooke who moves to 2(1)-0!
Round 4: Closer fourth but Cooke remains on top to the bell. We go to the card!
Round 3: The check left hooks are working wonderfully for Cooke who has noted Irish boxing slickster Dee Walsh in his corner. Impressive display so far.
Round 2: Left hooks by Cooke in the second and he staggers the Pole with one to the side of the head. Strykowski survives but is getting hit with a lot of right hands.
Round 1: Fast start from Cooke, lands some nice right straights before catching Strykowski with a lovely check left hook. The visitor is bloodied already!
9:59pm: Here we go! Cooke’s manager, Leonard Gunning, has promised to buy the Antrim Town puncher a pint if he can stop the durable Pole.
9:55pm: Coming to the end of an interval here. Conor Cooke up next, fights Pawel Strykowski next over four at cruiserweight.
9:30pm: 40-35 to Kelvin McDonald who moves to 1(0)-0! Slightly harsh on Bazza but the right winner.
Round 4; BIG bodyshot to start the round from Bazza, McDonald felt that! The Larne flier comes back really well but is nailed by a two-punch combo from Bazza and the gumshield comes flying out. The pair go to war! McDonald landing more but his gumshield is out again as Bazza continues to swing for the fences! What a scrap!
Round 3: Big shots to star from Bazza but McDonald weathers the storm and starts to work off the jab, some classy stuff as well as good grit but the crowd-favourite journeyman is still dangerous.
Round 2: A lot closer in the second now, big winging shots from Bazza are landing but McDonald is showing some nice spurts.
Round 1: Cagey to start but they then trade left hooks and BAZZA IS DOWN. The Eastside veteran is back up quickly, however, and comes back fairly well while McDonald indulges in a small bit of showboating.
9:10pm: Time now for the debut of Larne super feather Kelvin McDonald. The 19-year-old has a tough one to start with, taking on ‘The Belfast Spartan’ Alec Bazza.
9:00pm: 60-54 to Tommy McCarthy! He’s back and moves to 12(6)-1(0).
Round 6: GOOD action in the sixth, McCarthy going for the stoppage but Kaupinnen not lying down. All the big, quality shots from the Irishman, though, but he is brought the distance by an opponent that deserves to see the final bell.
Round 5: ‘The Mac Attack’ sinks in some lovely right hands to the body but we head into the final round.
Round 4: McCarthy taking his time, pot-shotting Kaupinnen who is getting a bit frustrated. Big left hook stuns the Englishman but he is game.
Round 3: Meaty hooks to the body from McCarthy who almost has Kaupinnen down before referee Hugh Russell Jr intervenes as the damaging shot came to the back of the head. Brief pause as the visitor recovers and they go to war, McCarthy hurting him again.
Round 2: Tommy McCarthy picking it up in the second, long overhand rights and heavy left hooks. Kaupinnen deep into his shell.
Round 1: All McCarthy in the first, just popping out the jab constantly and landing one lovely right uppercut inside.
8:31pm: Here we go!
8:28pm: Slight delay as a parked car was blocking the ambulance – a small hall staple – but we’re ready now for McCarthy.
8:24pm: It’s time for the return of Tommy McCarthy! The Lenadoon cruiser faces English journeyman Kent Kauppinen over six. Big Tommy has been out of the ring for almost, to the day, a year but has linked up with Mark Dunlop and will hope to start building momentum tonight.
8:21pm: Jameson stops Mirhossieini in the third. Very one-sided, the press row has been fairly doused in the Persian’s blood.
8:07pm: Slight delay but we are about to get underway here in Belfast starting with Scottish cruiser David Jamieson who takes on Iranian Taha Mirhossieini.
