Jay Harris vs Ricardo Sandoval – Results & Post Fight Report

It was heartbreak for Jay Harris, as Ricardo Sandoval won their final eliminator for the IBF Flyweight title with an eighth round victory. The fight was the main event on the MTK Global card last night at Bolton Whites Hotel.

Sandoval started off brightly with a crisp jab in the opening round, but Harris worked well to the body in round two to assert himself in the contest. The American was warming to his task, but the rounds were competitive as both men took turns to take the advantage.

A cut above Harris’ eye was impairing his ability to see certain shots, but he had a decent seventh, catching Sandoval on the counter. The eighth saw a killer blow, as Sandoval pulled out a beautiful left hook to the body that dropped the Welshman. He beat the count, but another peach of a punch to Harris’ left folded Harris in half, and this time he wasn’t able to survive the count, and the fight was over. Sandoval now becomes a frontrunner to meet current IBF champion, Sunny Edwards.

The final eliminator for the British Light Heavyweight title went the way of Hosea Burton, as the former Lonsdale Belt holder halted Liam Conroy in six rounds. Burton controlled the distance from early on, landing with hurtful right hands in the second round especially, and a short right hand right on the bell to end the third dipped Conroy’s knees, and he walked gingerly back to his corner.

Conroy started to turn the tide as the fight wore on though, causing a cut to Burton in the fifth, but he found his progress checked by a chopping left hand high on the head in round six that floored him, and he was unable to beat the referee’s count, declaring ‘The Hammer’ the winner.

Former world champion Paul Butler took the vacant WBO International Bantamweight title, as he was forced to dig deep in a contest which looked close than the split decision win over Willibaldo Garcia may have suggested. Garcia stepped in at just days’ notice for Joseph Agbeko, who withdrew due to visa issues.

The Mexican paid the price in the opener for going on the attack with little regard for defence, and Butler nailed him with a well-timed left hook that floored the visitor. He beat the count, and continued to put pressure on Butler on the resumption, punching continuously but Butler was still getting the better of exchanges in what was a high-octane contest. Although Garcia threw multiple punches, Butler still looked like he was controlling the action, but Howard Foster saw Garcia as a 95-94 winner. He was overruled by scores of 96-94 and 97-92 as Butler took a deserved win.

Gary Cully is a man to keep an eye on, and the Irish Lightweight forced Viorel Simion to withdraw from battle after three rounds of their scheduled ten rounder. Simion had previously been in with the likes of Shakur Stevenson, Lee Selby and Scott Quigg, but he found Cully too quick and heavy handed to be able to carry on.

Cully applied constant pressure though a variety of punches, and he turned up the heat in the third, raining punches to head and body that wisely forced the Romanian’s corner’s hand to call it a day at the end of the session.

Brett Fidoe loves to upset the applecart, and the veteran of over 80 fights scored a shock third round stoppage win over Tyrone McCullagh, who was returning from his first professional loss to Ryan Walsh last time out. Evesham based Featherweight Fidoe simply did not stop coming at his opponent, piling pressure on the Irishman, which took its toll in round three, as a big left hand stunned McCullagh, and a follow up right had him on the deck. Although he rose, he groggily walked towards the referee after beating the count, and the fight was promptly and correctly waved off.

Hot prospect Pierce O’Leary made it seven wins from as many starts, and ‘Big Bang’ lived up to his nickname, crumpling Jan Marsalek with a massive left hand in the second of their scheduled Super Lightweight six rounder. The Czech was knocked out on impact, and needed lengthy medical attention in the aftermath.

Charismatic Middleweight, Jordan Reynolds, made it two wins from two, as he dropped Jan Ardon in the opening and closing rounds to take a wide points win. Reynolds was adjudged a 60-52 winner.

Inder Bassi got back on the winning trail, as the Essex based Welterweight took all four rounds against the tough Chris Adaway. Another man returning from defeat was Blane Hyland, and the Liverpool Bantamweight also took all four rounds in his meeting with Reiss Taylor.