Lyndon Arthur retained his WBO Intercontinental Light heavyweight title, but he was made to work hard before seeing off Davide Faraci in nine rounds at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday. The contest headlined the latest BT Sport Fight Night.
Arthur (19-0, 13 KOs) was coming off a career best win last time out, as he saw off Anthony Yarde, and he was meeting a fellow unbeaten fighter in Faraci (15-1, 7 KO) in London.
The Brit began in typically relaxed style, working off his trademark jab, while the Italian kept on the balls of his feet, coming in and out of range and landing a nice left hand on the bell to end the opener.
Arthur established his jab much more in round two, and the third saw the 30-year-old shade the session with his ring generalship. Most of Faraci’s blows were landing on the gloves, but the odd shot was getting through the guard, and the Manchester man stepped up his intent in the fourth, with hurtful shots to the body finding the mark, with the visitor not enjoying the power coming his way.
A round later, Faraci began to wilt under the heat from the home favourite, as a massive overhand right staggered him, and he looked as though he was starting to unravel.
He battled on though, and Arthur was the one that looked jaded as the sixth round came to an end, but he regained his composure to control the seventh.
Things weren’t coming easy for the champion as he tired again in round eight, and he was boxing with his mouth open, but he found a superb right hand counter to floor his opponent in the penultimate round that gave him the boost that he needed.
The 29-year-old beat the count, but a superb left uppercut-right hand combination had the Italian on the deck again, but this time much heavier than before. The fight resumed again, but a big right hand staggered Faraci, and the fight was stopped.
Parker blows away Khusanov
Zach Parker defended his WBO International Super Middleweight title, and also his number one ranking with the organisation, as he blasted out Uzbekistanâs Sherzod Khusanov inside a round.
Khusanov (22-3-1, 10 KOs) had never previously been stopped as a professional, and had Olympic experience as an amateur, but he had no answer to a beauty of a left hook to the body that had him down on a knee in pain for the full ten count with seconds remaining in the opener.
Parker (21-0, 15 KOs) cemented his position behind unified WBO, WBA âSuperâ and WBC Super Middleweight world champion, Canelo Alvarez.
Sharp overcomes Andrade
Archie Sharp took the vacant WBO Global Super Featherweight title with a rough and tough points win over rugged Mexican, Diego Andrade (13-5-2, 1 KO).
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Sharp (20-0, 9 KOs) was badly cut during the contest, but came through by scores 97-93 (twice) and 99-93 to take the belt and then called for clashes with both WBO champion, Jamel Herring and WBO interim titlist, Shakur Stevenson.
McCann sweeps aside Chuwa
It took Maidstone Super Bantamweight Dennis McCann two rounds to deal with John Chuwa, in another impressive stoppage win for the 20-year-old, who moves to 10-0 (6 KOs).
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Chuwa was slippery, but once McCann pinned the Tanzanian down with a left hook that jolted the visitor, Chuwa was unable to slip a barrage of punches that forced referee, Lee Every, to intervene.
Remaining undercard results
Sam Noakes (6-0, 6 KOs) made it six straight early wins from as many contests, as he forced Lee Connelly’s corner to pull their charge out after three completed rounds at Lightweight.
Connelly (7-57-5) struggled to keep Noakes at bay throughout the fight, and the white-hot pace that the man from Kent had set was just too much for the experienced 33-year-old, who was saved from further, potential harm.
Karol Itauma (3-0, 2 KOs) was simply too good for Tim Ventrella (0-2-1), and the Kent-based former decorated amateur notched a second round stoppage win in his scheduled Light Heavyweight four rounder.
A big left hand at the end of multiple punches forced the Nottingham man to the canvas near the end of the second, and as he rose groggily, the contest was waved off.
There were also points victories for prospects Muhammad Ali (3-0) and Levi Frankham (2-0) over Lee Glover and Dale Arrowsmith respectively.
