Massey delivered what looked to be the defining moment in Round 4 when he dropped Clarke twice with heavy punches. The former Olympian was badly shaken and spent much of the round trying to survive as Massey pressed his advantage.
Many observers believed Clarke was about to be stopped.
Instead, the Londoner regrouped and gradually worked his way back into the competition.
Clarke began to find success with his right hand and gradually increased the pressure as the fight entered the middle rounds. The momentum shift became more noticeable with each passing minute as Massey’s output slowed and Clarke grew in confidence.
The turning point came in Round 7.
Clarke landed a powerful right hand that dropped Massey to the canvas. Although Massey beat the score, Clarke immediately went on the attack and unleashed a sustained barrage of blows.
With Massey caught under heavy fire and offering little in return, referee Bob Williams stepped in and stopped the bout at 1:24 of the round.
The win improved Clarke’s record to 12-2 with 9 knockouts and was one of the most important victories of his professional career.
For Massey, the loss dropped him to 23-4 after looking to be firmly in control of the fight just a few rounds earlier.
The fight featured several momentum swings and provided some of the night’s most memorable action, with Clarke showing resilience after being dropped twice before coming back to claim the win.
In a card filled with cruiserweight action, Clarke’s return may end up being one of the standout performances of the night.
