Denzel Bentley vs Mosley Jr produced a tense, close-fought encounter at the Copper Box Arena, where Bentley had to dig deep for a unanimous decision victory. The Londoner dropped Shane Mosley Jr heavily in the second round but ultimately had to settle for a points win after a spirited comeback from the American.
Bentley entered the fight having been stripped of his WBO middleweight title in the build-up, and he looked eager to make a statement against a world-rated opponent. For a moment, it seemed he might do just that.
The opening round was Mosley Jr’s. He took the centre of the ring and used his long left to keep Bentley at range. Bentley, pressed into a corner, could only offer potshots in response.
That changed dramatically in the second. A sharp right cross shook Mosley Jr, and a follow-up cross to the chin sent him crashing to the canvas. Bentley tried to finish the job, but he could not land cleanly enough to end the fight, and Mosley Jr survived the round.
By the fifth, Mosley Jr had regrouped and was working on the front foot. His right hand found its mark, and he attacked Bentley on the ropes. Bentley, too static, allowed the American to come forward and work. Mosley Jr finished the seventh round strongly, letting his hands go as Bentley spun away.
Bentley fired off bursts and a cut by Mosley Jr’s right eye worsened, but he could not shake his opponent as he had earlier. Single shots clipped Mosley Jr in the closing stages, but the American remained dangerous.
The scorecards reflected the closeness: 96-94, 96-93, and 95-94, all in Bentley’s favour.
Vanhouter Impresses Again
On the undercard, American heavyweight hope Da’Mazion Vanhouter continued his destructive run with another first-round knockout, this time against Ivan Balaz. Vanhouter’s speed and power were evident early. A left hook to the ribs dropped Balaz, who beat the count but was soon floored again by heavy shots. A right hook to the body ended the fight, marking the tenth first-round knockout of Vanhouter’s 14-fight professional career.
Roehrig and Hickey Deliver Stoppages
Lucas Roehrig showed fine finishing instincts to stop Connal McDonald in the seventh round of their scheduled eight-rounder. Roehrig’s speed advantage was clear early, and he found openings for his right cross. McDonald applied pressure and had some success, but Roehrig stepped up in the sixth and, when he had McDonald hurt in the seventh, he did not let up, landing shuddering head shots to end the fight.
Sam Hickey patiently blocked Amaury Massenaux’s hooks with tight elbows and tested his uppercut, which he used as a weapon to hurt the Belgian. Hickey upped the pressure in the fourth and fifth rounds, landing a right uppercut-left hook combination that dropped Massenaux. The referee stepped in when Massenaux appeared hurt.
Allen and Dzambekov Score Wins
Kayla Allen waded into Julia Igel from the opening bell, clattering her onto the backfoot with relentless aggression. Allen’s right hands and left hooks to the body kept coming, and although her pace dipped in the last round, she won 58-56 after six rounds.
Austrian southpaw Umar Dzambekov remained unbeaten with a one-punch finish against Zach Parker. The two were evenly matched over the first three rounds, but in the fourth, Dzambekov landed a thudding left uppercut to the solar plexus that folded Parker and ended the fight.
Abdulah and Kemp Open with a Bang
Masood Abdulah won an excellent eight-rounder against American prospect Adan Palma. Abdulah dropped Palma in the first with a flashing left, but Palma fought back in the fourth, rocking Abdulah with a left hook. Abdulah regained control in the sixth, dropping Palma again with a left hook, and took a unanimous decision, 78-72, 77-73, and 76-74.
Vinnie Kemp, nicknamed the “King of Violence,” made a big impression on his debut, battering Liam McElhinney into the ropes with wide-armed punches and ending the fight inside the first round.
