McComb vs Gwynne LIVE results as they happen
Irishman Sean McComb leads a trio to title fights as he faces Welshman Gavin Gwynne for the vacant Commonwealth lightweight strap on Friday's huge #MTKFightNight.
There's an English title clash, plus a Southern Area scrap on what is only the second boxing event of the year in the UK.
BBN are providing live updates right here:
IFL TV Broadcast begins 6:00PM GMT
Middleweight, 4 Rounds
MOHAMMED SAMEER vs KEARON THOMAS
Peterborough's unbaten middleweight Mohammed Sameer moved up to 2-0 with 40-36 points win over Walsall journeyman Kearon Thomas.
The six-foot-tall 160-pounder chased the Midlander around the ring in the first round, utilising his jab nicely.
Sameer switched effortlessly from orthodox to southpaw but wasn't manahing to land a lot against such a negative opponent. Thomas tried occasionally to land lead rights but Sameer was too switched on to be caught. He landed a big right hook when he has Thmas in the corner in the final minute but he failed to put any kind of dent in him. It's a tradtional learning fight for Sameer, who is perhaps a a bit guilty of waiting too lng to land his attacks. A few times in the second segment, Kearon found himself cornered but qickly nd easily worked his way out again.
Quite possibly, his corner noticed that same mistake and iss opportunity and he immediately pounced on Thomas when he was in the corner for the irst time in the third round. Sameer was back in his southpaw stance again. the pair jokingly traded jibes in the last minute of the third round. Thomas ducked under Sameer's attack and then looked out to the empty crowd to see where it landed. Sameer reciprocated seconds later when Kearon's punch just grazed the top of his hair. They touched gloves onn the bell in respect.
Thomas threw more punches in the final round than he did for the first three together. He came forward and gave it one last roll of the dice. The pair were all smiles and hugs on the final bell.
It was a comfortable win for Sameer, the fight wasn't very high-paced or action-filled, but four rounds banked for the winner can't be all bad.
Welterweight, 6 Rounds
ELLIOT WHALE vs JAMIE STEWART
Unbeaten welterweight Elliot Whale scored his first professional career knockout in his last fight on an MTK event in September 2020. The southpaw from Sidcup is up against another fighter who is unbeaten in three fights in Jamie Stewart, who notably drew with Albanian superstar Florian Marku in his last fight in December.
Trained by Alan smith and Eddie Lamm at the iBox Gym in Bromley, Whale was dictating the pace of the contest behind his rangey jab and southpaw stance.
Stewart's gumshield was dislodged in the sixth round. Whale boxed a disciplined and safe fight. He tried to land his long left hooks to the body whenever he could. Stewart was always on hand to land a couple of sneaky shots, which looked like they might sting a bit.
South Londoner Whale moved up to 4-0 with the points victory.
ESPN+ Broadcast begins 7:00PM GMT
(2:00PM EST / 11:00AM PT)
Featherweight, 6 Rounds
MARK MCKEOWN vs BRAD DAWS
For a lot of fans, this was the fight that they were looking forward to the most. Two unbeaten featherweights putting their perfect records on the line in an attempt to move forward in their careers. This is waht MTK shows have become known for.
Wow! From the first bell, they go right at it, wasting no time at all! They circle the centre of the ring exchanging blows, neither one willing to give up ground. A straight right from McKeown caught the eye in the middle of the opener, but then so did a body blow from Daws. Then, on the klaxons, a big body shot got through on Daws' left side which looked painful. Every second of the round was filled with a punch – what a start!
Round two and very soon in a double jab, right hand sent Daws down. The offending punch landed on the temple, the jabs were soft, simply used to set up the bigger right hand. Another knockdown seconds later, courtesy of two consecutive overhand rights, and the count was dispensed with as the contest was closed by referee Steve Gray.
Welterweight, 6 Rounds
PADDY DONOVAN vs SIAR OZGUL
'Real Deal' Donovan lands a good combination early on that knocked the Londoner off balance. He looks very comfortable boxing at range in his flashy, Naseem-like style.
Ozgul adopts a high guard, throwing out shots when he can, but it leaves him open to body attacks. Ozgul throws a jab, Donovan pulls back his head then counters. Ozgul throws a right, then this time it catches him, but it's a rare success. Ozgul clipped him again on the klaxns but Paddy isn't too troubled by those little shots coming back. It was his left hook to the head that landed in round two that was the best shot of the fght so far.
The third stanza started a bit more frenzied than the others. Donovan is tip-tapping away at Ozgul's guard inviting him to open up so he can exploit him. Ozgul perhaps looks a bit frustrated for the first time, swinging more wildly than before. It's most certainly three 10-9 rounds to Donovan so far.
Turkish-born Ozgul proved his frustration by roughhousing the Irishman after missing his first three or four shots in the fourth of six. The 22-year-old, trained by Andy Lee, was looking like he was in cruise control by this round. He was visibly having fun in there with a man he knows he has the beating of.
The fourth round was so one-sided that Hackney's Ozgul, a former Southern Area super-lightweight champion, decided that it wasn't worthwhile coming out for the fifth round and declared his retirement from the six-round fight.
Super-Lightweight, 6 Rounds
PIERCE O'LEARY vs IRVIN MAGNO
It was a very patient first roud from both boxers, with Pierce landing a good, sharp jab on the bell. Midway there was a fantastic right hand counter from O'Leary. His power looked like it could hurt and potentially stop the Filipino if more land.
Better from Buxton-based Magno at the start of the second. The Dubliner took a tumble during the round after getting his feet caught following a punch. 'Big Bang' landed a lovely left hook in the dying seconds of the scond.
The 20-year-old Irishman came out intentful in the third, throwing big shots and catching his Derbyshire opponent. Magno tries to smother the home fighter's work, but 30 seconds to the end of the round, he comes forward and tries his luck. O'Leary slips under and blocks most of it.
The pair have a jabbing contest in the middle of the ring in round four. Magno is a good opponent, trying hard to win the contest. He sometimes looks a little bit like his comptriot Manny Pacquiao but in looks only, not stylewise. Midway, Magno's gumshield comes out and has to be replaced. O'Leary gets the better of the xchanges and lands some eyecatching, fast combinations in the final minute. O'Leary then starts loading up wth his left hook.
O'Leary prevailed on points in his second six-rounder, but first time going the full six-rounds.
Southern Area Super-Featherweight Title & English Title Eliminator
DANNY CARR vs DEAN DODGE
It was a bit of a tepid first round with neither fighter willing to commit too much.
The ight was slowly heating up and by the middle rounds it was an exciting watch, with lots of action, Dodge coming forward and Carr constantly on the move.
Spencer Fearon has Carr up four rounds to two, giving the first two to Carr, three and four to Dodge and five and six to Carr.
Dodge begins round seven brightly. Carr dops his rounds and allows Dodge to land a big right hand. Carr lands a good right hand back in the last minute but the bigger shots are coming from the Somerset man, who got the better of the exchanges and the pair could be completely even on the scorecards here.
Carr is the reigning Southern Area super-featherweight champion and this fight is very nip and tuck. The eighth round is another close round and the pair are very hard to seperate. One lands clean, then the other one does. Dodge is on the front foot and it's Carr's fight to lose.
DP Carr is boxing smartly behind his jab in the ninth and penultimate round. Carr looked a bit more comfortable in this round and boxed sensibly to avod the attacks whilst landing his own shots. The champion could be going into this last round as the winner on the cards.
It's Dodge's round to win, if he does then the fight could be his. He's pressing but Carr is boxing clever and keeping his distance again. Hit and move is the Sidcup man's tactic and it is workign for him. Just another minute and the title stays with him.
Despite a distinct lack of aggression, Carr boxes very well in the latter part of the fight to retain his title with relative ease in the end. It was a fight that swayed this way and that but the clash of styles suited Carr the most. Dodge came forward and Carr moved well to avod a lot of the offense and land his own sneaky shots.
The referee scored the fight 97-93 to the champion Carr, who will now challenge for the vacant English super-featherweight title next, which could be against former titleholder Liam Dillon or Dennis Wahome.
Vacant English Welterweight Title
DARREN TETLEY vs SAMUEL ANTWI
Tetley is down in the opener from a left hook to the body from Antwi. He survives to make the second round. It's the worst possible start for the former WBO European champion.
The former Southern area champion from Stockwell, London, is landing the bigger shots and looks very comfortable in the second round. As they exchange in close quarters, it's Antwi with his hands down throwing big shots and Tetley looking very wary of his power. Great start to the fight!
Bradford boxer, Tetley, lost hos last 10-rounder to Liam Taylor. Antwi traps him on the ropes after a minute into the third. Tetley's southpaw stance isn't troubling Antwi a bit.
Both fighters are once-beaten but one looks far more confident than the other. The 'True Sensation' is boxing with his hands down, but Tetley is managing to get some good work off, albeit not troubling the Londoner one bit. Tetley has come back into the contest slowly with his tenacity. Fearon has Antwi up, ut gave the third round to tenacious Tetley.
It was an exciting slugfest to end fourth, a round where Tetley was busier but Antwi landed the best shot of the fight with a right hook to the head.
Perhaps Antwi could have closed the show early or perhaps it was a flash knockdown, but the pair are very even ater six rounds. Antwi looks to be applying more pressure in this round. And the aggression pays off when Antwi volleys home a number of hooks and uppercuts in the last minute resulting in Tetley taking a knee. Tetley continued but one overhand right and the ref jumped in to say no more.
The new English champion, Antwi, explained how his game plan worked for him: "He was a game opponent. I knew it would be tricky but I found the shot I was looking for, stuck to the game plan and then we got him out of there.
"I didn't want to rush the work as I thought I may make more mistakes. I landed some good shots, took my time and was patient with it. We got there in the end and now this is my foot in the door of a very busy welterweight scene.
"It's been a year out for me and this is my first fight back. We got the ring rust out the way, now I'm warmed up and ready to go."
Vacant Commonwealth Lightweight Title
SEAN MCCOMB vs GAVIN GWYNNE
McComb's movement is sublime and he lands some sharp shots in the openign few rounds. The Irishamn makes some clever sidesteps to avoid a lot of trouble, it's a good start for McComb.
McComb is cut above the right eye and Gwynne thinks he's got his man hurt from a right hook across the ribs but the bell rings.
The third roud starts busy and eventful as the pair let loose. McComb is throwing more than Gwynne. "Good little fight, this, hell of a pace", says Barry Jones from ringside.
McComb boxes and moves towards the end of the round but stilllooks bloodied and brusied. Lots of pace and intnsity so far. fearon scores the fight 29-28 to Welshman Gwynne right now.
Gwynne is coming forward, putting the pressure on. McComb is bloodied but looks to be coming into his own. It's still very close. When McComb puts combinations together, it looks good, but doesn't infilct much damage.
The pair trade in the fifth, Gwynne is busier and McComb can't catch a break. There's blood on the back of Gwynne's head and it's pouring out. McComb sees the blood and ramps up the pressure. The blood is trickling all the way down the back of Gwynne.
It's a bloddy battle but there's a lovely uppercut anded clean from McComb midway. Then Gwynne lands a lovely right hand, then McComb is downed in the final 20 seconds and McComb just survives the round.
McComb looks tired and turns his back in the seventh and the fight is over, Gwynne is too much for him and wins the Commonwealth lightweight title.
Post-fight, an elated Gwynne reacted to his win: "I'm speechless and I don't know what to say. I put so much into this camp. Nobody was going to beat me, no world class fighter was going to stop me.
"We know Sean is a class amateur and I couldn't outbox him. I had to take it to him, I started going to work and putting my shots together. Fair play to him he stayed on his feet but we got the win, and I can't put into words how much it means.
"I've had big fights but it was the first time that Sean had really stepped up, so I knew this was going to be tough for him. This will be my boy's belt now!"
HÖRFA are proud sponsors of British Boxing News