WBA super bantamweight champion Guillermo Rigondeaux beat Jazza Dickens at the Ice Arena, Cardiff as Dickens retired on the stool after the second round with a broken jaw.
Rigondeaux, who was making his UK debut, was scheduled to fight Dickens in March though that fell through as the Cuban’s visa paperwork was not submitted in time. Rigondeaux came to Cardiff a week earlier to avoid any mishaps this time around.
On the night fans may have been left short-changed as the fight never got going. The first round was cagey as both men looked to feel the other fighter. Rigo won the round with the cleaner, more accurate punches.
The second round saw the Cuban land a clean left with Dickens also throwing his own left, in another quiet round. As the fighters sat on their stools, Dickens team pulled their fighter out of the bout as the left hand from Rigondeaux broke the Liverpool fighters jaw.
September 17th could see the Cuban back in the UK, Frank Warren confirmed after the bout.
WBO lightweight champion Terry Flanagan successfully defended his title against South African Mzonke Fana by a unanimous decision, as all three judges scored the card 120-106. The Manchester man won a clear decision yet had incurred an infuriating night against an elusive Fana.
Flanagan seemed to have a frustrating night with a rugged Fana, who showed his awkwardness throughout the fight. Flanagan knocked down Fana twice and rocked him in the eighth yet the challenger showed great toughnes. Fana’s right hand seemed to be getting through Flanagan’s defence at times.
Flanagan was the busier fighter throughout the night with a higher punch output and it took till the fourth round when we saw the first knockdown. The Manchester fighter slipped Fana’s right hand and hit him clean with a left hook which descended Fana to the canvas. Fana survived the eight count and did well to regain himself throughout the round.
While Flanagan was winning the rounds, a cut under this right eye emerged after a head clash in the fourth round.
In the eighth round, a clean left rocked Fana and while he had absorbed that, he got hit again with a left. The veteran recovered once again as ‘Turbo’ Terry increased the tempo of the fight.
The final round saw Fana dropped once more, as a straight left by the world champion took down Fana. The South African survived the remainder of the round to hear the judge’s scorecards. Flanagan won most rounds comfortably and expressed his disappointment in his night work after the fight.
Liam Williams defended his British and Commonwealth Light Middleweight title against Gary Corcoran with a 11th round stoppage in what was a highly entertaining contest. Both men had bad blood coming into the fight and this was seen as the fighters at times seemed to let the emotions get to them.
Williams was unlucky to not have scored a knockdown in the first round. Corcoran fought well during the round and within the last minute of the fight, Williams landed to knock Corcoran off balance with the ropes seemingly coming as aid to keep fighter up.
Williams was producing the cleaner work although the fourth round saw a clash of heads, with Corcoran coming off worse with a cut above his left eye. Corcoran proved to be a tough test for Williams although the 11th round saw Williams knock down with a right. Corcoran survived the eight count to be hit with another straight right as Williams piled on the pressure causing referee Terry O’Connor to stop the fight.
– Oun Abbas Hussain / @ouney86
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