Ritson vs Vazquez This Morning

[diehard]

Starts at 7AM-11AM on Sunday morning, NZ time.  It'll be on SKY SPORT on Channel 58.

Sorry, no Loma fight as I think they have UFC on ESPN for the Sky Channel.  If it changes, I'll mention it.

[craigyid14]

Thomas Patrick Ward is on the undercard, one of my favourite current boxers.

[diehard]

Oops, forgot to post the undercard. Too late now. I'll watch the fights this afternoon before the AB's game.

[diehard]

WBA #2 Ritson defeats Vazquez

WBA #2 super lightweight Lewis Ritson (21-1, 12 KOs) took a very controversial twelve round split decision over long-reigning former IBF lightweight champion Miguel “Titere” Vazquez (42-10, 16 KOs) on Saturday night at East of England Arena in Peterborough, England. The crafty Vazquez outboxed Ritson for most the fight, but couldn’t overcome fighting in Ritson’s backyard. Scores were 116-113 Vazquez, 115-113, 117-111 Ritson. Ritson won the WBA Intercontinental title.

“It just depends what you like doesn’t it,” Ritson told Matchroom afterward. “He was tapping me and running away. I was hitting him with the cleaner jabs. It was very frustrating being out the gym a year and then facing that style.

“It was probably more awkward than I thought it was going to be. The more the fight went on the more frustrated I got. It was a big eye-opener. We’ve been mentioning the Prograis fight, tonight was a bit of an eye-opener that we’re a million miles off that fight.

“We need a couple more fights like Vazquez, maybe not his style. That’s what you get when you step up. We had a hard job doing it. I’m improving as a fighter but I’ve got a lot more improving to do.”

Super bantamweight Marc Leach (15-1-1, 3 KOs) upset previously unbeaten 2016 Rio Olympian Qais Ashfaq (8-1, 3 KOs) by ten round unanimous decision in a British title eliminator. Leach dropped Ashfaq in rounds four and seven en route to a 95-93, 96-93, 96-92 verdict. Ashfaq was a -700 favorite.

In a clash between unbeaten super lightweights, Rylan Charlton (6-0-1, 3 KOs) destroyed Joe Laws (9-1, 5 KOs) in a three round blowout. Laws down in round one and twice in round three. Laws was a -350 favorite.

A super bantamweight fight between Thomas Patrick Ward (29-0-1, 4 KOs) and Thomas Essomba (10-6-1, 4 KOs) ended in a technical draw after Ward suffered a bad cut over his left eye. Scores were 88-85 Essomba, 88-84 Ward, and 86-86. Ward was a -2200 favorite.

[diehard]

Craig, did you see the fights? That cut was pretty bad on Ward. Judging by Ward and Waitai from Friday nite, you must like the technical fighters. Neither has much power. Ward needed some big rounds to get out of being cut.

All and all, not a bad undercard for a free afternoon. Didn't care much for the main event.