LIVE UPDATES: Boxing in Belfast – Assassin’s Creed
The first Irish show of the year takes place tonight and Irish-Boxing.com will be ringside to give you live updates of all the fights.
The Europa Hotel in Belfast is the venue for the MHD Promotions ‘Assassin’s Creed’ card, with WBA #4 at super featherweight James Tennyson headlining in an eight rounder against Nicaraguan Arnoldo Solano.
We will be updating this page throughout the night so make sure to keep refreshing and keep up to date with every punch.
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11:14pm – Headliner a bit of a blow-out, but it’s been a great night here up in Belfast – some brilliant fights on the undercard. Thanks to all for following along.
11:11pm – Tennyson needed just 59 seconds (including a ten-count) to get the stoppage and move to 21(17)-2(2).
Round 1 – Left hook to the body and that’s all she wrote – KO1 JAMES TENNYSON.
11:08pm – Tenny time – this could be explosive.
11:05pm – It’s main event time here. James Tennyson v Arnoldo Solano. The Nicaraguan brings a 50-50 record and has never been stopped – but is stepping up in weight to face a huge puncher in Tennyson here.
11:01pm – Great finish from Castillo but McCrory takes the win 58:55 on the card – great scoring, great fight, fair play to both. McCrory’s first time past four.
Round 6 – Castillo coming forward like a freight train, throwing bombs at McCrory who is on the back foot and trying to keep him off. A perfectly timed right hook from the Coalisland man momentarily stops the flow, but Castillo is straight back at it. We go to the cards.
Round 5 – Castillo is pushing the pace. Something is up with McCrory who is looking exhausted, nose reddened, as we head into the sixth and final round.
Round 4 – Close. Castillo very busy, but McCrory’s straight left is still proving a potent weapon. Fun fight.
Round 3 – McCrory forcing Castillo back and hurting him early in the round but, as he often does, the Central American has a mid-round revival – before McCrory hurts him again with the left!
Round 2 – The two trade and another straight left from McCrory jolts Castillo back – AND HE’S DOWN. Up quickly, takes the count and they go to war again. McCrory pushing the action as the Nicaraguan looks to hold on before firing back toward the end of the round.
Round 1 – Cagey start to the opener, lots of clinching as both try to find their range. Eventually opens up, and the straight southpaw left of McCrory has some success.
10:34pm – Time for Fearless Feargal McCrory who fights the game Rafael Castillo in a super featherweight six rounder.
10:24pm – He’s back. Dan McShane defeats Zoltan Horvath 40-35 to move to 10(3)-1(1). Score slightly harsh on the Hungarian but a thoroughly deserved win for McShane.
Round 4 – McShane showboating in the final round, he’s enjoying his return. Horvath to his credit has come to win and is still landing shots but McShane’s quality is coming through in these last few rounds.
Round 3 – Point taken off Horvath for punching in the clinch, probably deserved. Invigorated by this, McShane lands his best punches of the fight before a final warning for Horvath for more punching in the clinch after being goaded by the Belfast Kronk man.
Round 2 – It messy but exciting here in the Europa. Both fighters told off by referee Hugh Russell for some naughty work in the clinch, McShane needs to keep on the outside.
Round 1 – Considering the occasion, Horvath has come to fight and is the aggressor in a scrappy opener. McShane landing well with hooks off the back foot but is getting caught a bit too much. Close round.
10:03pm – Time for the big rematch – Dan McShane v Zoltan Horvath over four at light welterweight. The Hungarian scored a stoppage over McShane back in 2016 after the Belfast man dislocated his shoulder in a clinch.
10:01pm – Kelly drops to 1(0)-1(0) but he certainly showed his heart and determination in there and posed Ballingall plenty of problems.
9:59pm – We go to the cards – 60-57 to the classy Ballingall. Fair play to Kelly for a great fight.
Round 6 – What a warrior Karl Kelly is, pushes forward throughout the sixth and lands a big right hand that Ballingall takes well and lands his own in return. The English fighter is looking for a finish and hurts Kelly to the body in the closing minute but ‘Machine Gun’ battles through to the bell.
Round 5 – Quieter fifth, Ballingall using his footwork as Kelly chases. Kelly needs a KO.
Round 4 – Kelly looked tired at the close of the third but continues to march forward. Ballingall on top but Kelly having some success when he gets him on the ropes.
Round 3 – Ballingall trying to stay on the outside but is being walked down by Kelly. The Portsmouth prospect lands a huge left hook that sends Kelly reeling back and he takes the fight by the scruff of the neck before a spirited finish from the Monkstown fighter – huge guts.
Round 2 – Ballingall is definitely feeling Kelly’s power, good start to the round from the young Dubliner but he is taking a lot back – can he keep up this pace?
Round 1 – Kelly comes out throwing huge shots, setting a high pace, weaving in and targeting the body. Ballingall classy though, landing sharp counters and turning Kelly well.
9:28pm – Karl Kelly up next. The Dubliner is following in his manager Jay Byrne’s footsteps and, after just one fight, is taking on 8-0 English prospect Lucas Ballingall over six at super featherweight.
9:19pm – 60-54 Ronnie Clark, back into the swing of things. BBBoC Celtic title rematch with Anto Cacace could be a good one.
9:16pm – Into the sixth and final round here. Clark well on top. Good run-out for the popular Scot.
9:10pm – A bit more spirited from Evans in round four – but it’s one-way traffic for Clark who is looking to shake off the rust after almost 10 months out of the ring.
9:06pm – Lots of effort from Clark but Evans is that frustrating kind of journeyman – slippery and hesitant to engage.
9:02pm – Two rounds in and Clark is as entertaining as always, throwing and landing from odd angles following his usual epic walk-in.
8:50pm – Quinn moves to 9(2)-2(0) with the comeback win. Now time for adopted Belfast man Ronnie Clark. The entertaining Scottish super feather is in with English journeyman Dean Evans.
8:45pm – 60:54 to the returning Stevie Quinn who turns 25 today, not a bad way to make your return – and the crowd serenades him with a chorus of Happy Birthday.
Round 6 – Quinn comes out firing in the final round, looking fresh and landing lots. The Down boxer pushes for the stoppage but Tellez is going nowhere. Nevertheless, it’s an extremely impressive return for Quinn who should whitewash this on the cards.
Round 5 – It’s impressive stuff on his return here from Quinn who is looking very fluid. Some nice short right hooks to the body and classy counters when the game Tellez lunges in. The visitor has upped the pace and Quinn is responding really well.
Round 4 – A straight left momentarily buckles the knees of Tellez, but the Central American is smart. Quinn lands another sharp left which rouses a reaction from Tellez who wings in a few more shots.
Round 3 – Quinn is maintaining – if not increasing – his high pace, mixing in some lovely uppercuts. Tellez is grinning in the face of constant leather and starting to swing wildly. Great fight to start the night off with.
Round 2 – Nice combo from Quinn to start the second – it’s opening up here. Tellez lunges with a right hook then lands with an even bigger one – a warning sign for Quinn who sends the Nicaraguan momentarily back with another sharp left and he begins to tee off until the bell.
Round 1 – Big height advantage for southpaw Quinn who starts off on the jab. Tellez probing. Quinn just misses with a long left uppercut. Nice counter left lands from the home fighter, Tellez’s face reddened slightly.
8:18pm – The Newtownards super featherweight comes to the ring – WE ARE READY. 2018 in Irish pro boxing is just seconds away
8:12pm – Quinn is making his return after over two years out and is back with an immediate test in Tellez who is one of the better Nicaraguan journeymen. Extremely durable. Over six rounds too so it could get interesting.
8:07pm – Slight delay. Fight #1 – Stevie Quinn Jr v Edwin Tellez will ringwalk in the next two or three minutes.
7:45pm – We’ve landed in Belfast. The Europa is looking lovely and boxing in Ireland for 2018 is just minutes away from kicking off!
7:38pm – It’s an exciting lineup tonight featuring the always-entertaining Ronnie Clark, the returns of both Stevie Quinn and Dan McShane in tough fights, Karl Kelly taking a massive jump up in class against unbeaten English starlet Lucas Ballingall, Feargal McCrory in with Irish-Boxing.com favourite Rafael Castillo, and of course big-hitting headliner Tennyson.
7:33pm – Hello and welcome to Irish-Boxing.com’s coverage of Assassin’s Creed. The doors are open in Belfast and the action will be underway very soon – with first bell set for 8:00pm. You can check out the running order HERE.
