Former WBA super middleweight champion Callum Smith (28-1, 20 KOs), now campaigning at light heavyweight, laid out Lenin Castillo (21-4-1, 16 KOs), with a massive right hand in round two on the Joshua-Usyk undercard on Saturday night at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The punch seemed to short circuit Castillo, who shook uncontrollably after going down. He was taken out on a stretcher.
Lightweight Campbell Hatton (4-0, 0 KOs), son of Ricky Hatton, got a controversial six round gift decision against late sub Sonny Martinez (2-5, 0 KOs). British referee Marcus McDonnell somehow scored it 58-57 for Hatton.
‘The Albanian King’ Florian Marku (9-0-1, 6 KOs) dethroned IBF International welterweight titleholder Maxim Prodan (19-1-1, 15 KOs) by ten round split decision. Scores were 97-93, 96-94 Marku and 99-91 Prodan.
Unbeaten Chicago Middleweight Christopher Ousley (13-0, 9 KOs) took a ten round majority decision over Khasan Baysangurov (21-2, 11 KOs) for the WBA Intercontinental title. Scores were 95-95, 97-94, 97-94.
Just watched the casillo vs Smith fight and kept thinking they need to get PEDs out of boxing from looking at smith’s body. Then the knockout came and it was terrible. They need to do something about better testing cause something in my spirit was saying something aint right about this fight. Just my 2 cents.
No, he’s just fighting at a weight that he’s not killing himself to make anymore. I said almost three years ago Callum needed to move up to 175 and now we can see why. You’re just being a typical racist for making a comment like that, as the Brit has never tested positive for any banned substance. Now your boy Canelo on the other hand……..
Any views on the Marku win?
I thought Prodan shouldve got the decision… He pushed the action, had Marku on the backfoot for most of the fight and threw a lot more punches.
Marku threw very few punches and never looked like he trouble Prodan.
I thought Marku should have won by unanimous decision to be honest.
Prodan did press but you can’t win a fight by just going forward.
Prodan landed maybe 10 or less meaningful punches the whole fight whereas Marku boxed beautifully and peppered Prodan with jabs from both stances whilst demonstrating great head movement and boxing skills.
Good to hear your view Jerry.
Jim Bob you must be Ukrainian , you probably live in Italy and you must be a cousin of that corrupted judge who scores the bout 99-91 for Prodan?
Haha, no, English.
Im at the venue, and the view isn’t the best, that’s why I asked for others opinions.
How’s the atmosphere?
Must be amazing
It’s great now, filling up, real buzz in the air
The KO by Smith was freaking scary! Any word yet on Castillo? I have seen some convulsing KOs before, but I am not sure I have seen one where the guy was stiff and what looked like shivering. A quick convulsion sure, but that guy was in BAD shape! I sincerely hope Castillo is OK.
Mac that was pretty scary. He was vibrating. It didn’t look good. I hope he’s ok.
Close fight. Always thought Prodan was gonna get Marku as Marku was moving straight back. But it never really happened. Thought Prodan nicked it but nothing to complain about.
I can’t believe that they just robbed Martinez! Ricky hatton’s son didn’t win that fight. That’s awful!
They were really planning to give Usyk the same treatment. The “judges” had Joshua ahead after 8 rounds.
Martinez looked very happy after he was robbed so they must have paid him off.
What was a bad decision was Hatton Jr vs Martinez…no way Hatton won that
Hatton did not win that fight, I wasn’t so sure about Marku, so asked for other opinions, but thought this was blatant robbery
That was an excellent debut at the weight for Smith. Castillo was probably never going to beat someone at his level, but to do that to him after he’d gone the distance with Bivol and Browne and never been stopped by anyone, that is impressive.
That was a super emphatic win, 2nd KO over a guy who went 12 with Bivol 2 years ago
After 40 years of religiously following boxing, I honestly don’t know why I bother after witnessing the Hatton decision. Call it what you like but boxing needs a massive overall. It has evolved into a farce at so many levels.
‘overhaul’ not ”overall’.
Totally agree, it’s disgusting that Hatton got the win, the man has buckets of courage, but he lost that clearly.
let him fight a Tszyu offspring …nighty night
One problem is the referee was the only judge for the fight. That is why boxing uses 3 judges. If the referee is local, he could feel under pressure to assure more plum assignment in the UK.
Hatton lost 6 out of 6 rounds. He was lucky not to be KOed as he took numerous uppercut and left hook the last 2 rounds. He was badly shaken at the end of the fight. A scandelous gift decision.
Hatton’s chin is up, he charges in, he does it over and over. When he fights a guy who can punch it will be highlight reel stuff
Hatton cannot really fight. He is a c- prospect
England is a country where a foreign boxer can batter an English boxer for 11 rounds and two minutes, knock the English boxer unconscious for the last minute and lose the fight on a unanimous decision.
To be fair that can happen in many countries. But I’m with you, I’m British, but im a boxing fan, I don’t care where you’re from, if you win the majority of the rounds you should get the decision. Seeing far too many dodgy decisions for Hearn’s fighters
Europe in general. The UK is less blatant than continental Europe when it comes to hometown decisions.
It seems like these fighters with father’s that were champs always get the win if so long as they don’t get knocked out. If they make it to the final bell, they win even if they were battered the whole fight. It makes the sport look awful.
Unbeaten prospects in general almost never lose a decision to a journeyman, no matter how badly they appeared to lose the fight.
I think the decision was good for the public point of view,because everybody can see now that Cambell Hatton ain´t sh-t and Hearn despite his talks cannot pick other than blind or corrupted judges at his boxing nights.
Tony Bellew is a good announcer. Giving props and deferring to Roy Jones is a smart, couth thing to do.
Brutal knockout for CS.
Usyk is too cerebral here. He has the best footwork in the division with fury. I think he stops after in 5.
WHAT A RING ENTRY FOR THE CHAMP, ANTHONY JOSHUA! WOW!!
After seeing those USSK in house judgettes give the decision to Hatton I was expecting them to give Joshua a unanimous decision too.
Hatton got a referee decision. There were no judges.
So it was all a silly set up, but still I thought that would be the pattern for the big fight. Even the Uruguayan winner must have been in on it and paid off because he appeared to be very happy afterwards.
Boring pedestrian Hatton clearly lost the bout-british referees are dreadful home cooking decision givers!I don’t know how that ref could look at himself in the mirror—SHAMEFUL-iF THE DECISION FOR THE USYK FIGHT WAS LEFT TO A BRITISH REF NO DOUBT NO DOUBT JOSHUA WOULD STILLL BE CHAMP!
I didn’t see the match with AJ but it seems AJ take all comers.
Which leaves Anthony Joshua open 4
Critical nay sayers.
But if u beat him…
I think of the Terminater
Because He will always B Back…
Check his record he’s not running.
I personally like Anthony Joshua 4 this reason.
He’s a true Champion right wit the Klistcos they really had now challengers…
U May not personally like him….
4 what ever reasons like V. Klistco…
He & his brothers had it on lock….
4 over 10years…
Fighting all comers.
That’s why I like the Klistco’s….
Lennox Lewis
& Riddick Bowe…
He said what?!!!
& threw that belt in the Trash though it lead him….
Astray he was open to criticism.
Lennox & the Klistco’s had all the Belts.
But nobody answered Lennox Lewis call 4 the World.
I never liked or rated Anthony Joshua; but your spelling and abbreviations is worse.
Hatton lost 100-0. Disgraceful decision.
I’m English, but I like everyone watching, I was disgusted that Ricky Hatton’s lad, Campbell, got a very undeserved Xmas present via an unbelievable “gift win” from sole judge and referee, English Marcus McDonnell, the sole judge, after four-rounds that saw Hatton clearly lose the lot against the modest (2-5 O kos) but impressive, Sonny Martinez, who, as a late sub – was a deserved winner.
The BBBC ought to immediately reverse or vacate the result and SACK the referee!