Buatsi Edges Parker, Arthur Outpoints Rea

In the main event, former WBO Interim Light Heavyweight Champion Joshua Buatsi (20-1 (13 KOs) won a 10-round majority decision over Zach Parker (26-2, 18 KOs) to win the WBA International 175-lb title Saturday night at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester, England.

(Credit: Queensberry/Leigh Dawney)

In the first three rounds, Parker knocked out Buatsi. In the fourth round, Buatsi came back in a close round.

In the fifth round it was another tie. In the sixth round it was Buatsi’s jab against the power punch of Parker. In the seventh round, Parker would land punches and fall into a clinch with Buatsi. It was another close round. In the eighth round, Parker ran out of gas and fell to the canvas twice, receiving a warning from referee Michael Alexander.

In the eighth and ninth rounds it was close, with Parker falling to the canvas at times, although Buatsi landed. In the tenth and final round, Parker went down again, but how will the officials see it?

The official scores were 95-95, 96-94 and 96-94.

In the co-feature, EBU light heavyweight champion Bradley Rea (21-2 (10 KOs) lost a 12-round majority decision to former IBO 175-lb champion Lyndon ‘King’ Arthur (25-3 (16 KOs) in an action-packed battle).

In the second round’s final seconds, Arthur landed a left hook to the chin, dropping Rea for an 8 count from referee Kieran McCann. It was Arthur who ended up with swelling under his right eye. In the third and fourth, Rea had his way. In the fifth round it was Arthur who jumped back. In the sixth round, the fighters fought on equal footing.

In the seventh round it was all Arthur as he took out his younger opponent. In the eighth round, both had their moments, giving the fans their money’s worth. In the ninth round, Arthur looks to continue to outwork the younger Rea. In the tenth round, Arthur had Read’s nose bleeding as he took another round.

In the eleventh round, Rea continues to fight against, trying to stop the offense from Arthur, who is not having it. In the twelfth and final round, it was a competitive round, but Arthur seemed to do the trick against the younger Rea.

The scores were 114-114, 115-113 and 115-112 for Arthur.

Liam Cameron (24-7-1 (10 KOs) beat former English champion Troy Jones (13-2 (6) KOs) by a 10-round unanimous decision to win the vacant WBO International light heavyweight title.

In the first three rounds, Jones outmatched and knocked out 35-year-old Cameron, 8 years older than Jones. At the end of the third round, Jones drew blood from the nose of Cameron.

In the fourth round, there is swelling around the left eye of Jones, and Cameron bleeding from the nose is a testament to the toughness of this fight. Jones seemed to have an edge. Midway through the fifth round, Cameron Jones’ mouthpiece went out. In the best round to this point, Cameron looked to be turning things around.

By the middle of the sixth round, Cameron was drawing blood from the nose of Jones and had his best round. In the final seconds, Jones landed a low blow, which referee Marcus McDonnell warned about. In the seventh round, Cameron had another good, not his best, round in an all-action round. In the eighth round it was another close one with Cameron possibly pulling it out.

In the ninth round, Jones suffered a cut between his left eye and nose. Cameron seems to have made it close, if not pulling it out, with his strong late-round finishes. In the tenth and final round, the fans showed their appreciation with the performance by both fighters giving the fans plenty to root for. Both hugged each other at the end, awaiting the decision.

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

Light Heavyweight Billy ‘Turkish Tyson’ Deniz (14-0 (5 KOs) beat Ezra Arenyeka, ‘aka The African King’ (14-2 (11 KOs)) by an eight-round points decision.

Both Arenyeka and Deniz’s ten of fourteen opponents had non-winning records.

In the first round, after a minute without a punch being thrown due to Arenyeka running around the ring, referee Steve Gray brought both fighters to the center of the ring to encourage them to start fighting. At the end of the round, Deniz landed several body shots. In the second round, Arenyeka finally stopped running with a minute left, and Deniz took him out the rest of the round. In the third round, the quick hands of Arenyeka landed right on Deniz’s chin after a minute. Deniz had his way the rest of the way.

In the fourth round, a headbutt from Arenyeka a minute into the round opened a cut on the fighting eyebrow of Deniz. Arenyeka stopped running and stood with Deniz, who took him out.

In the fifth round, Deniz continued to outwork Arenyeka despite a ring commentator who was pro-Arenyeka. Halfway through, a fight finally took place. Deniz ended the round with a flurry, with Arenyeka in a corner. In the sixth round, Arenyeka continued to press forward with little offense as Deniz countered effectively and took another round.

At the midpoint of the seventh round, Deniz landed ten unanswered punches, mostly left jabs. At the end of the round, Deniz hurt Arenyeka with a combination to the head. In the eighth and final round, Deniz showed his footwork as he went backwards. In the final seconds, Deniz took a flurry of punches, and Arenyeka fell into a slingshot. It looked like a shutout for Deniz.

Referee Steve Gray scored 79-74, which looked closer than it was in favor of Deniz.

Middleweight Stephen ‘Stevo’ Clarke, 8-0 (1 KO) defeated Jose ‘El Perro’ Aguirre (2-18 (1)) by a six-round points decision.

In the first two rounds it was all Clarke who had a big following until a minute left when Aguirre landed a left hook on the chin of Clarke ending both rounds that way. Clarke has only had one of his opponents with a winning record, and Aguirre has only been stopped twice. In the fourth round Aguirre continued to come forward with his hands up as Clarke countered him throughout and won another round.

In the sixth and final round, Clarke had his best round, having his way with a defensive Aguirre.

Referee John Latham scored it 60-54.

Lightweight Leighton Birchall, 3-0 (2) defeated southpaw Wilbert Panttin (7-5 ​​(4 KOs)) by a four-round points decision.

In the second round, both punches landed with Birchall rocking Panttin in the final seconds of the round with an overhand left to the chin. In the third round, both punches landed at each other, with Birchall mostly going to the body, with an edge. In the fourth and final round, referee John Latham took a point from Birchall for low blows after 30 seconds. Panttin then fought Birchall to a standstill, matching him blow for blow.

Referee John Latham scored it 39-36.

Welterweight Luke ‘Iron’ Prior (1-0) defeated the tough Eduardo ‘Blackie’ Vera Sanchez (12-3-2) by a four-round points decision.

In the first round, the much taller Prior had his way until midway through the round when the southpaw Sanchez landed an overhand left, drawing blood from Prior’s nose. At the second round’s halfway mark, Prior rocked Sanchez, whose legs were bent, with a right to the chin, cornering him.

At the third round’s midway point, Prior landed a right uppercut that went low, giving Sanchez several minutes of rest from referee Steve Gray. Sanchez landed a right cross to Prior’s nose, which did not stop bleeding. Previously, Sanchez was driving.

In the fourth and final round, Prior continued to outwork Sanchez, who was a solid opponent for the debuting Prior.

Referee Steve Gray scored it 40-36.

Superflyweight John Tom Varey (1-0) impressed by defeating Brandon Gallardo ‘El Caballito’ Vargas (3-10-1 (1)) by a four-round points decision.

In the first round, Varey swarmed all over Vargas and, with little more than a minute left, landed a pair of left hooks to the chin of Vargas, bending his knees. In the second round, Vary added a slap kick along with a two-handed attack, winning another round. In the third round, with half a minute left, Varey dropped Vargas with a body blow to a knee, and referee Steve Gray gave him an 8 count.

In the fourth and final round, Varey continued his body attack for the most part and won all four rounds.

Referee Steve Gray scored it 40-36.

Cruiserweight ‘Bad’ Brad Casey (2-0 (1) knocked out Antonio Borovina (2-5) at 1:06 of the first round of a scheduled four-rounder.

In the first round, after a minute, a flurry of punches dropped Casey Borovina, who added a right while Borovina landed a knee. Referee John Latham didn’t count him and warned Casey for the late blow. Seconds later, two jabs and a right from Casey, and down again Borovina went, taking the count from referee Latham on a knee.

Light heavyweight Leon Hughes, 2-0 (2) defeated Paval Garaj (9-48-4 (4) by a four-round points decision.

In the first round, after 15 seconds, Hughes rocked Garaj with a right to the chin. In the final minute, Hughes took a flurry of punches, with Garaj on the ropes. In the fourth and final round, Garaj came up at times and mixed it up with Hughes.

Referee Steve Gray scored it 40-36.

In the opener, super featherweight Jermaine Dhliwayo (8-0 (3 KOs) defeated Caesar Paredes (18-30-1 (5 KOs) by a four-round points decision).

In the second and third rounds, the southpaw stalked Dhilwayo for the most part, Paredes around the ring, scored well with a jab, and opened up with both hands in the final 30 seconds. In the fourth and final round, after a minute, Dhilwayo landed a left hook on the chin, rocking Paredes.

Referee John Latham scored it 40-36.

Thomas Treiber was the ring announcer.