Zach Parker lands WBO International belt
Photo Credit: Matchroom Boxing
Derbyshire’s Zach Parker (19-0, 13 KOs) sealed a career best performance with an emphatic 11th round TKO victory over WBO No.1 ranked contender Rohan Murdock (24-2, 17 KOs) at the Manchester Arena.
Parker, a former British Champion, added another belt to his trophy haul as he was crowned the WBO International Super Middleweight Champion and has edged closer to a shot at the current WBO Super Middleweight World Champion Billy Joe Saunders.
Fighting at the Manchester Arena for the second time in his professional career, Parker was ecstatic to once again put in a knockout performance for the Manchester fight fans.
“It was a great fight and I hope the fans all enjoyed it,” said Parker. “It was always going to be a good fight when it’s number 1 versus number 2!
“He was a very tough guy. He took some great shots and kept coming. I was happy to get the stoppage at the end and I knew it would come,” Parker continued. “I’m now number 1 with the WBO so I should be fighting for world titles very soon. I’m ready for them all!”
Parker’s promoter Nisse Sauerland was delighted with the 25-year-old Englishman’s performance.
“Zach was brilliant, I said before the fight that he was going to steal the show and he has done exactly that,” said Sauerland. “He’s produced the fight of the night and sealed it with a knockout – Zach Parker is going all the way to the top!”
Manchester Heavyweight Hughie Fury bounced back from his August defeat to former World Champion Alexander Povetkin by knocking out the Czech Republic's Pavel Sour in three rounds to rekindle his World Heavyweight Title hopes.
Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler dropped late stand in Theophilus Tetteh three times on route to a first round stoppage win to stay on course for a mouth-watering rematch with Preston's Scott Fitzgerald later this year.
"I'm coming for you son," said Fowler. "Let's have a 12-round war for the fans, you will not beat me this time."
Dublin's Jono Carroll produced a career-best performance to stop former World Champion Scott Quigg in the headlining fight. 'King Kong' dominated from the opening bell before the former WBA Super-Bantamweight Champion's corner threw in the towel in the 11th round after a sustained attack from the Irishman.
Jack Cullen stopped Tomas Andres Reynoso in two rounds to return to winning ways and set up an exciting clash with Ireland's Jason Quigley on the Whyte-Povetkin undercard on May 2.
Robbie Davies Jr secured a shutout win over Damian Leonardo Yapur in his first fight since teaming up with new trainer Dominic Ingle. Davies Jr dominated the Argentine over eight rounds to claim an 80-72 decision on his return to the ring after losing to super-lightweight rival Lewis Ritson in a domestic thriller in October.
Dalton Smith claimed his third straight stoppage with a TKO victory over Benson Nyilawila. The former amateur star from Sheffield dropped southpaw Nyilawila in every round before the referee's intervention in the fourth to extend his record in the pro ranks to 5-0.
'The Albanian Bear' Reshat Mati progressed to 7-0 (5 KOs) with a second round KO win, Oldham Lightweight Aqib Fiaz earned a shutout 40-36 points win over Dean Jones to move to 5-0, Ricky Hatton-trained Super-Bantamweight prospect Ibrahim Nadim moved to 2-0 with a 39-37 points win over Stefan Nicolae, Stretford Middleweight Bradley Rea decisioned Pavol Garaj to earn his ninth win as a pro and Liverpool Super-Flyweight Blane Hyland claimed the third win of his career by outpointing Joel Sanchez.
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