LIVE UPDATES – Padraig McCrory Topped Conlan Boxing SSE Arena Card
Padraig McCrory returns to the ring in Belfast tonight.
‘The Hammer’ tops a Conlan Boxing bill at the SSE Arena in his first fight since suffering defeat to Edgar Berlanga nine months ago.
The 36-year-old faces a test against hard-hitting Colombian Leonard Carrillo. Sixteen of his 17 wins have come by way of stoppage.
The card was set to host an interesting test for Kurt Walker, as the Olympian was scheduled to fight confident American Rudy Garcia, with the bout unfortunately being cancelled earlier today.
It doesn’t get much more 50-50 than the Irish title fight between old rivals Ruadhan Farrell and Connor Kerr while Matthew Boreland is in an interesting fight with two-time Scottish title challenger Calum Turnbull.
Two weight Irish champion Colm Murphy also sees action as does former European Champion Tommy McCarthy. Brandon McCarthy makes his Irish debut and Gareth Dowling, Teo Alin and Jack O’Neill all fight for the second time as pros.
Irish-Boxing.com will be filing live reports from each fight below.
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Tommy McCarthy v Ryan Labourn
Slow and methodical start from McCarthy, testing the range with jabs and feints to keep Labourn to the outside, not much strikes thrown with conviction from either man in the first round, certainly epitomising a real feeling out process.
Similar start in the second round, with McCarthy taking control of the centre of the ring keeping Labourn to the outside with his jab, Labourn trying to close the distance lunged forward on occasion, with McCarthy countering with body shots. McCarthy, perhaps conserving his energy for later rounds, just ‘touching’ Labourn with his strikes.
Ramping up his action a bit more midway through the third round, McCarthy starts to put a bit more power behind his strikes, whilst still utilising his jab effectively, McCarthy drew his attention to the body of Labourn with looping hooks to the Englishman, with not much landing. Nevertheless, the Belfast man seems to be kicking into gear a bit more.
The ‘kick into gear’ from McCarthy midway through the third certainly carrying into the fourth, as the Belfast man went back to the well once more, doubling and tripling up with the jab, knocking his adversary’s head back on occasion with the strike, before drawing his attention to the body of Labourn once more.
McCarthy, seems to be growing into the fight as it goes on ramping up his activity as the bout goes on, utilising the jab very well again in the fifth and sixth, and landing a couple of hooks to the body as Labourn tried to close the distance, with the Belfast man certainly cruising his way to a comfortable decision win.
With the official judges decision in, Tommy McCarthy cruises his way to a comfortable 60-54 decision win.
Colm Murphy v Erick Omar Lopez
Establishing his reach from early on, Murphy kept Lopez to the outside with a snappy jab along with slick footwork as ‘Posh Boy’ evaded the big looping strikes from his significantly shorter adversary, with Lopez lunging forward on occasion, but Murphy simply wasn’t there.
Murphy certainly putting his stamp on the what range the fight takes place at in the second round, as the Belfast-man took to the centre of the ring from early on, not letting Mexico’s Lopez inside, again using his jab impressively both to the body and the head, landing swift significant strikes to the head of Lopez.
The third round continuing in the same vain as the second, with Murphy dictating striking range, and Lopez recognising it, as the Mexican dropped his hands and beckoned Murphy into a corner to try lure ‘Posh Boy’ away from his stringent gameplan, the most significant strike of the round came via a stinging hook from Murphy to the body of Lopez near the end of the round.
A very comfortable fourth for Murphy, with Lopez fading quite a bit in the fifth, as the Mexican fighter’s lunging efforts to land on Murphy have been unsuccessful for the duration of the fight, as Murphy is simply too mobile, evading the incoming shots, and countering with his own.
Still fresh as ever in the sixth and final round, Murphy let Lopez know by ‘dancing’ around the Mexican in the middle of the ring. Lopez, back to his tricks again beckoning Murphy forward to no avail, as ‘Posh Boy’ protects his ‘0’ and cruises to a dominant 60-54 decision win.
Gareth Dowling v Christian Lopez Flores
Quick start as expected from the ‘Jacker’ as the Dubliner takes to the centre of the ring with a blistering start, pressing Lopez Flores to the ropes with big heavy hook shots to both the body and head, with Lopez Flores landing a hook of his own during an exchange.
Dowling following up a quick start in the first with a busy second and third round, by not giving Lopez Flores an inch to breathe, keeping his opponent against the ropes again ripping to the body and head with thundering hooks, which are definitely after having a visual affect on Lopez Flores as his face has began to turn a bright red as a result from the heavy hands of ‘The Jacker’
Finishing strong down the stretch in the fourth and final round, Dowling goes back to the well once more and look’s to be chasing the finish, putting a lot behind his strikes. With the fight going to the distance and Dowling getting the nod by way of a 40-36 decision win.
Teo Alin v Joshua Ocampo
A big reception as expected for Teo Alin following his debut in the SSE Arena back in August, as Cookstown graduate get’s to work early doors pressing Ocampo to the ropes from the start of the first round, landing lightning quick hooks and uppercuts against the ropes, with Ocampo shelling up to try and defend against the onslaught.
On the front foot once again from the beginning of the second round and throughout the third, Teo Alin presses Ocampo to the ropes once more. Alin, looking a lot more confident and powerful than his debut in August, putting relentless pressure on his adversary with thundering hooks to the body and head of Ocampo, leading to the Columbian to shell up and swiftly move away. With Alin getting a visible wince out of Ocampo midway through the second and third round by way of heavy strikes to the body.
“Let’s go Teo, Let’s Go” rings out through the SSE Arena going into the fourth and final round, as the Cookstown faithful get behind their fighter, who has kept an immense pace and put unrelenting pressure on Ocampo throughout the bout, carrying his energy the whole way through, finishing the bout just as strong as he started, with Alin winning via a 40-36 decision.
Jack O’Neill v Stephen Maguire
Youth, reach, and technical superiority definitely the story of the opening two rounds, as ‘Wacko’ Jack O’Neill comfortably controls the pace of the fight thus far, keeping Maguire at range with sharp footwork, switching of stances, along with a very snappy jab. Maguire, leading with the head and swinging for the fences, walked into an uppercut multiple times, throughout the first two rounds. Maguire’s looping efforts only barely glancing the head of O’Neill in the second round.
Another strong round from O’Neill in the third, catching Maguire as he tried to close the distance on occasion once again, with 10 seconds remaining in the round, Maguire looked to lunge forward and ‘Wacko’ countered with a swift right hand, briefly knocking Maguire down, with the referee considering it more of a stumble and not starting his count.
Fourth and final round goes in the favour of Jack O’Neill as the Belfast Boy found a real home for a swift straight right hand, hurting Maguire on occasion, but was composed enough to not over engage and chase the finish, cruising to a comfy 40-36 decision win.
Matty Boreland v Callum Turnbull
A blistering exchange to start the bout as both men trade shots within the first ten seconds, Turnbull getting the better of the initial exchange. ‘Bam Bam’ landed heavy shots of his own against the ropes, stunning Turnbull who recovered quickly, and landed a clean straight left snapping back the head of Boreland.
Turnbull, the southpaw, certainly found a home for the straight left hand in the first round, which seemed to trouble Boreland before a slight adjustment in the second round, preventing Turnbull from landing the shot at will. Another high intensity round nonetheless, full of “rock’em sock’em” striking exchanges.
The tide turned in Turnbull’s favour in the third and fourth, as the Scotsman found a home for the aforementioned left hand on multiple occasions throughout the third, stunning Boreland at times as he seems to be leaving his right hand too low when guarding from incoming strikes, before Boreland lands a clean combination of his own at the end of the fourth which got a great reaction from Boreland’s Coleraine faithful.
Interesting start to the fifth, with Boreland landing a jab followed by a right uppercut, and Turnbull countering again with his patented left hand. Constant action throughout the round, every shot Boreland threw or landed provoking a huge response out of the crowd, which perhaps pushed him into getting too ahead of himself as he walked into a left hand yet again.
Really back and forth in the sixth and seventh round, the story of the fight thus far could nearly be put down to Boreland throwing a flurry of heavy strikes, only for Turnbull to counter with a mean left hand over the top. Midway through the sixth round blood appeared to pour from the nose of Turnbull, with ‘Bam Bam’ landing one of the biggest strikes of the round, and possibly the fight shortly after, which came through a straight right hand sending Turnbull’s gumshield flying out of the ring.
Both men meeting in the centre for the eight and final round, with Turnbull landing a snappy jab right from the off. Really tough fight to call throughout, with Boreland swarming Turnbull, who countered beautifully on occasion and seemed to land the cleaner strikes.
With the judges decision in, the ‘Coleraine Corner’ of the SSE erupts, as ‘Bam Bam’ Boreland emerges the victor in a fight of the night contender via a 79-73 decision
Ruadhan Farrell v Conor Kerr
Quick start as expected for the BUI Irish Super Bantamweight Title, with ‘King Con’ ducking low to try and get inside the guard of the long, rangy ‘Rudy’ Farrell. High intensity opening two rounds, with Kerr trying to dictate the pace of the fight by pressuring Farrell to the ropes who shelled up and circled out back to range on occasion, when at range Farrell’s approach is primarily through that of straight’s and jab’s trying to catch Kerr whilst he tries close the distance.
Similar approach from both men in the third, with both having quite considerable success in doing so making the bout very hard to call three rounds in, appears to be a smear of blood on the back of Kerr, difficult to figure out where it’s come from.
‘Rudy’ seeming to come into his own as the rounds go on, utilising his reach advantage keeping Kerr at range with jabs, hooks, and straights for the majority of the fourth, fifth, and sixth rounds, it hasn’t been all Farrell’s way though as when Kerr managed to close the distance he ripped to the body of Farrell throughout the middle rounds of the fight.
Kerr with success early on in the seventh, pressing Farrell against the ropes and unleashing a barrage to Rudy’s midsection, who yet again composedly circled to the outside and picked his shots on Kerr from range, as well as landing hooks and uppercuts from in close.
Kerr bringing the heat again in the eight and ninth round, closing Rudy Farrell down, staying in his face with relentless pace and pressure, even stunning Farrell late in the eight round with a short sharp hook from in close, nevertheless two close rounds heading into the tenth.
Cracking end to a great fight, very very hard to call throughout, either man could edge it, having their own considerable success right throughout the duration of the bout.
Rudy Farrell gets the nod via unanimous decision and is the new Irish Super Bantamweight Champion.
Robbie Davies Jr v Javier Fortuna
Close throughout the first and second, not huge action from either man, both perhaps conserving their energy from early doors, with Fortuna trying to close the distance from early doors and make the fight ‘ugly’ and both men tying up in the clinch quite a bit, the pair ending up on the canvas midway through the first. Davies Jr having quite considerable success with uppercuts and hooks from inside the clinch in the second round.
Similar third and fourth to the preceding two rounds with a lot of clinching, Fortuna starting the rounds quickly by swarming Davies Jr from southpaw, the Englishman being more the aggressor and putting the pressure on Fortuna as the rounds advanced, pressing him against the ropes, striking from inside the clinch and putting his weight on the Dominican to tire him out, with Fortuna throwing more than his adversary throughout the fourth.
Strong round from Davies Jr again in the fifth, with both tying up quite a bit again from early on in the round, Davies Jr once again keeping Fortuna’s back to the ropes with a smart jab from the outside, and pushing Fortuna’s back to the ropes whilst clinched. However the round wasn’t all Davies’ way as Fortuna caught him a couple of times whilst being pressed. Probably Davies Jr most successful round thus far.
Both fighters ramping up their activity levels in the sixth and seventh round, Davies Jr recognising the success he’s having from jabbing range early in the sixth, but yet again can’t help but tie up with the Dominican, visible cut above the eye of Davies Jr from a possible clash of heads, doesn’t seem to be bothering the Liverpudlian as of now. Both men look to be fresh heading back to their corners at the conclusion of the seventh round.
Constant ‘in your face’ pressure from Davies Jr again in the eight as he continues to control where the fight takes place, starting to put a bit more power behind his strikes as he rips to the body from close quarters, Fortuna beginning to look a bit more uncomfortable in the clinch, possibly beginning to wilt under the weight that Davies Jr has put on him in the clinch throughout the fight.
Different start to the ninth as Fortuna briefly puts Davies Jr on the back foot before the men tie up in the clinch yet again, Davies pushing Fortuna back in the clinch before a referee’s separation. Toe-to-toe in the middle of the ring at the midway point of the round, with Davies Jr landing hooks to the midsection of Fortuna, before Davies Jr returning to range and keeping Fortuna to the outside for the remainder of the round.
Really close to call going into the tenth, Fortuna ramping up his activity in the preceding round and carrying his eager start into the tenth lunging towards Davies Jr early on, leading to slight clashes of heads. Given the quantity of clashes of heads throughout the fight, the only visible damage on either fighter is the slight cut above Davies Jr eye. Fortuna definitely taking the final round, as Davies Jr tried to press the Dominican back into a corner, Fortuna countered with an uppercut followed with a right, left hook combo, knocking Davies Jr down.
To the judges scorecards we go, after ten closely fought rounds, Robbie Davies Jr gets the nod by way of a 95-94 decision win.
Padraig McCrory v Leonard Carrillo
Massively eventful first round, McCrory opening with long jabs and straights, to both the body and head of Carillo before the referee takes a tumble, provoking a cheer from the crowd. No more than 20 seconds later, McCrory sent Carillo to the canvas with a left hook as the Colombian closed in on the Belfast-born fighter, just near the end of the round Carillo had a highlight of his own, catching McCrory with a right hook before hurting ‘The Hammer’ badly with a left hand sending him wobbling to the other side of the ring, McCrory recovered well but wobbled back to his corner at the end of the round.
Carillo clearly has McCrory’s respect going into the second round, as the Irishman cautiously keeps to the outside after tasting the power of the Colombian knockout artist. A lot of very unorthodox looping strikes from Carillo throughout the second and, which McCrory successfully evades with his back to the ropes. Carillo having a lot of success with stiff straight left and right hands. Along with a bit of showboating from Carillo ,McCrory, ever stoic, keeps his discipline and a good poker face and doesn’t buy into his opponents trickery.
McCrory opens the third with a clean left hook to the body, followed by a right to the head of Carillo, who circles out and regains control of the centre of the ring, keeping the Belfast-man’s back to the ropes. Methodical, and disciplined in his approach, McCrory isn’t biting at the temptation of throwing big power shots Carillo’s way, as the Colombian keeps his hands by his side. Both men refraining from entering big striking exchanges from range, resulting in the pair clinching near the end of the third, with ‘The Hammer’ nailing the Colombian with a snappy left hook on the break.
Keeping his opponents back to the ropes early in the fourth, Carillo fires to the body and head of McCrory, with a lot of the strikes lacking the snap and guile that they had in previous rounds, nevertheless McCrory shells up well and circles to the outside. The pair clinch midway through the round, with Carillo landing multiple short blows to the back of McCrory’s head, resulting in a warning from the referee.
Recognising that Carillo appears to be tiring and breathing heavier, McCrory takes to the centre of the ring from the start of the fifth and pops swift jabs to the body and head of the Colombian, keeping him to the outside fir a good duration of the round before firing a straight right hand, which Carillo evades. The visibly tired Colombian seems to be taking a round off, and hasn’t returned much strikes until the end of the round, landing a quick lead uppercut, along with strikes after the bell with Carillo getting another warning from the referee.
Although a close fight, McCrory is definitely the more technical boxer, and Carillo recognises this, trying to drag ‘The Hammer’ into a ‘firefight’ with dirty boxing and more blows to the back of the head in the sixth, which again result in a referee’s warning, but no point deduction.
McCrory is definitely the more advantageous fighter going into the seventh following an early scare. Carillo returns to his showboating antics, but the Irishman doesn’t engage. A change in approach from McCrory throwing wider shots, leaves an opening for returning straights, which Carillo capitalises on. A brief clinch near the end of the round, McCrory fires another big hook on the break which lands behind Carillo’s ear, and results in what appeared as a knockdown, but the referee deemed it a slip.
Into the eight we go and Carillo appears to have gotten his second wind, pressing McCrory to the ropes from the start with straights and jabs from the southpaw stance, which appear to have opened a cut above McCrory’s eye. Just after midway through the round and the roles have reveresed, with Carillo being the fighter with his back to the ropes, as McCrory stalks the tricky Colombian down for the remainder. A couple of big strikes, and a cut to McCrory’s eye, most likely tip the round in Carillo’s favour.
McCrory opens the ninth with jabs and straights to the body and head of Carillo, before firing a big right hook which narrowly misses. After a brief clinch, Carillo fires a huge left hook which hurts McCrory, and the Irishman backs up to the ropes where Carillo picks his shots very well, firing to both the body and the head. Following a quick recovery, McCrory has a big land of his own by way of a straight right hand, which gets a great reaction from the crowd here in Belfast. With about ten seconds to go, Carillo lands a big one-two against the ropes, which he follows up with another straight left hand that lands clean just before the penultimate round concludes.
Into the tenth and final round, Carillo opens up with yet again a huge looping left hand that glances the lead glove of McCrory, before the Irishman retreats and fires a right hook and circles out to the centre of the ring. McCrory, most likely ahead on the judges scorecards, keeps to the outside and snaps the jab in Carillo’s face to keep him outside and prevent the power left from coming his direction. A very close fight, Carillo’s stamina definitely recovered in the later rounds as he pushed the pace down the stretch, throwing bombs McCrory’s way near the conclusion of the fight, but it appears his power from the early rounds has expired. Judges decision coming next.
After ten nail-biting rounds for the Belfast crowd, and an early scare for their hometown boy, Padraig McCrory gets the nod by the way of a 98-91 decision.
