In a WBA light heavyweight final eliminator, #1 Joshua Buatsi (18-0, 13 KOs) scored a twelve round unanimous decision over #2 Dan Azeez (20-1, 13 KOs) on Saturday night at London’s OVO Arena. Buatsi built a lead in a slow-paced tactical fight. Buatsi was credited with two knockdowns in round eleven, assisted by Azeez having difficulty with a slippery ring. Buatsi punished a desperate Azeez in the final stanza to win 116-110, 117-109, 117-109.
Unbeaten European super lightweight champion Adam Azim (11-0, 8 KOs) was victorious when Enock Poulsen (14-1, 5 KOs) couldn’t continue after sustaining a shoulder injury in round five. Time was 2:39.
Olympian light heavyweight Ben Whittaker (6-0, 5 KOs) outclassed Khalid Graidia (10-14-5, 2 KOs) for four rounds, then opened up and got the stoppage at 1:57 of round five. The usual showboating by Whittaker against a limited opponent. Graidia down in round two and five.
IBO female lightweight champion Caroline Dubois (9-0, 5 KOs) took a hard fought ten round unanimous decision over Miranda “La Alacrana” Reyes (7-2-1, 3 KOs) by scores of 100-90 3x.
Heavyweight Jeamie TKV (6-1, 3 KOs) outscored Kostiantyn Dovbyshchenko (10-15-1, 7 KOs) over six by a score of 58-55.
Female bantamweight Francesca Hennessy (3-1, 1 KO) outpointed Lauren Belen Valdebenito (5-6-1, 2 KOs) over six rounds.
Very good fight. Surprised that peacock had this, wife has it for her soap operas, anyways. Azeez has nothing to be ashamed about. He did very well and I only felt one knockdown was legit ( #1.) Butasi looked like he was going to tire out entering the tenth, but he stayed in there. I enjoyed this fight practically in the phone booth.
Indeed, it was a slow-tactical fight, and the fight developed about as I thought.
Buatsi boxed tactically, in his way, and did enough to pile up most of the rounds. Must also give credit to Azeez for always trying, he’s difficult to target but it wasn´t enough simply. He seemed to run out of sting in his punches in the fifth.
No offense, but I can’t picture Azeez in a competitive fight against neither Bivol nor Beterbiev. Buatsi I believe can climb up and make it a fight, for a while.
The UK have many competitive light heavyweighters in Buatsi, Azeez, Richards, Arhur, Yarde, Smith, Pampellone, and so on.
Buatsi vs Yarde is also a big fight waiting.
Buatsi beats Yarde by a late stoppage. Yarde’s muscle bound frame curtails his stamina, he does not have the chin, stamina,toughness and skill of Buatsi.