WEEKEND FIGHT REPORT - BOLTON

Scott Quigg survived a shock knockdown to keep his British super-bantamweight championship in Bolton.

Quigg, rated No 3 in the world by both the WBA and IBF, was a red-hot favourite to beat Jamie Arthur and maintain interest in the 8st 10lbs division where Rendall Munroe and Carl Frampton are his top domestic rivals.

But the 23 year-old from Bury was on the floor in the fourth. As he did when decked by Angelo Villani in his eighth professional fight, Quigg picked himself up to win.

The ending was controversial.

Arthur appeared to be tiring in the eighth. He was bleeding from a wound on his right eyebrow, his hands were dropping and there was less behind his punches.

Early in the round, Quigg dug in a left hook to the ribs that made Arthur wince then spin a full circle.

Quigg landed a couple more punches before referee Mark Green stepped in. Green presumably interpreted Arthur's actions as meaning he no longer wanted to continue, but Arthur's manager, Chris Sanigar, thought otherwise and a look at the scorecards showed the fight was in the balance.

Phil Edwards and Ian John-Lewis had Quigg ahead 67-66 and 67-65 respectively, while Steve Gray had Arthur a point up at 67-66.

Arthur, a former Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion, was written off before the fight.

But he made a positive start.

Jamie, looking so big at 8st 9lbs 12ozs, got on the front foot and Quigg looked to block and counter with right hands.

The rounds were thoughtful and close, but all that changed in the fourth. Arthur reached and missed with a right, then followed through with a left that caught Quigg square on and forced him to the floor.

He sat clear eyed on one knee while the referee counted and then started to let his hands go on the resumption.

Quigg launched rights over the top and left hooks to the body and Arthur struggled to stay with him.

By the sixth, Quigg had the centre of the ring and Jamie was cut in the next as Scott kept the pressure on.

Rendall Munroe, Leicester's former world-title challenger at 8st 10lbs, blew away Jose Saez, from Argentina, just 2-50 into their scheduled eight rounder.

Munroe went out to make a statement after back-to-back points wins and decked 36 year-old Saez with his first meaningful punch.

Saez (8st 12lbs) took a count from a left hand, tried to fight back, but found Munroe (8st 11lbs) too big and strong and a body punch led to the finish.

Saez took a knee, looked at his corner when he got up and the referee waved it off.

Asked about Frampton and Quigg, Munroe said: "Who are they ?" before adding: "I want to be a world champion and they are the fights I'm looking at."

Joe Murray (9st 3lbs) was given a frustrating eight-round work out by Jose Luis Graterol, from Venezuela.

Murray won every session, but Graterol (9st 2lbs 12ozs) made him work. Graterol was hard to nail cleanly and every so often, found the gaps in Joe's defences with snaking punches.

Matty Askin (14st 1lbs) tuned up for his British cruiserweight title eliminator with a two-round stoppage of Attila Palko, from Hungary.

Palko (13st 13lbs) boasted 10 knock outs in his 12 wins, but Askin was the crisper, more correct puncher.

Palko kept his hands up, his chin down and waded into Askin, who kept cool and hurt him with body shots in the opener.

Askin detonated a perfectly-timed right uppercut in the second that made Palko's knees dip and a couple more punches made the referee jump in.

Former European champion Stephen Foster jnr got back in the super-featherweight mix with a six-round points win over Yauheni Kruhlik.

Both weighed 9st 7lbs and it was scored 60-56.

Liverpool southpaw James Dickens made it eight wins out of eight by dominating Barrington Brown over six.

Dickens' footwork and variety of punches kept Brown thinking about defence and he barely landed a punch of note throughout.

Tasif Khan (9st 2lbs) was made to work for his 40-37 points win over Delroy Spencer (8st 8lbs).

• < Prev
• Next >