Jordan Gill ruined Michael Conlan’s hopes of rebuilding his career at a new weight, as he took a seventh round stoppage win in their scheduled super featherweight twelve-rounder at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Conlan (18-3, 9 KOs) was making a Matchroom debut, and both men were coming off bruising losses. The Belfast man was stopped in five in a bid for the IBF featherweight title in May by Luis Alberto Lopez, while Gill (28-2-1, 9 KOs) was routed in four rounds by Kiko Martinez in October 2022, losing his European featherweight title in the process. Both were moving up in weight for this one.
The visitor landed a right hand that stunned Conlan in an opener that saw both connect to the body, but the home favourite was humbled in the second, a jarring right hand from Gill sending him to the canvas.
It was a heavy knockdown, but the 32-year-old beat the count and saw out the round, although he was wobbled at the end of the session.
Conlan stuck to his boxing in the third, but was troubled again in a frantic fourth, and the back-and-forth action continued into round five. It was close to call stuff, with both taking turns to have success, but ‘The Thrill’ upped the ante in round seven, and a flurry of power punches with Conlan trapped in the corner forced the referee to intervene.
Agyarko decisions Williamson
On the undercard, Caoimhin Agyarko was victorious in his super welterweight encounter with Troy Williamson, prevailing by split decision.
It looked like Agyarko (14-0, 7 KOs) had done enough to win, but one judge had Williamson (20-2-1, 14 KOs) a 96-94 winner, only to be overruled by tallied of 98-92 and 97-93 to declare the home favourite the victor.
Crocker sees off McKenna
Lewis Crocker impressed, as he pounded out a wide points win over ten at welterweight in his battle of Belfast against Tyrone McKenna (23-4-1, 6 KOs).
Crocker (18-0, 10 KOs) won all ten rounds on two cards, and 98-92 on a third.
𝗖𝗥𝗢𝗖 𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗧 🐊
A savage display earns @lewiscrocker1 the win over a tough Tyrone McKenna #ConlanGill pic.twitter.com/uCABGlFBFs
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 2, 2023
McComb battles past Maxwell
Sean McComb (18-1, 5 KOs) defended his WBO European super lightweight title for a second time, as he floored Sam Maxwell three times on the way to a wide points win.
Maxwell (17-3, 11 KOs) suffered a flash knockdown in round three, and was on the canvas again in the fifth frame, and once more from a sharp combination in round nine.
The former British and Commonwealth champion made the final bell, but McComb ran out the winner by scores of 100-87 (twice) and 99-88.
Knockdown number 3⃣#ConlanGill pic.twitter.com/HQR1P2c6p4
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 2, 2023
Remaining Undercard
Cameron Vuong (3-0, 2 KOs) broke down Poland’s Michal Dufek in their lightweight meeting, taking a win in the fourth round with the referee stopping the contest with Dufek (36-32-2, 23 KOs) under heavy fire.
Fearghus Quinn (9-0, 3 KOs) stayed unbeaten, and won all six rounds against Bulgaria’s Angel Emilov (11-54-3, 7 KOs) at middleweight.
Gerard Hughes (4-0-1) and Ruadhan Farrell (4-1-1, 2 KOs) couldn’t be separated in their six rounder at super bantamweight, as they fought to a 57-57 draw.
𝗦𝗣𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗙𝗨𝗟 from @CameronVuong who gets the stoppage in the fourth 😤 #ConlanGill pic.twitter.com/YCEFCSLVwj
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) December 2, 2023
Leli Buttigieg got his professional life off to a flyer, as he stopped Mario Oliveira in round one of his debut at middleweight.
Buttigieg (1-0, 1 KO) swarmed over Oliveira (1-1) with head shots, and although the Portuguese beat the count after he was floored, the referee waved the fight off.
