Cheavon Clarke turned a boring affair right into a spotlight reel second.
The 2020 Nice Britain Olympian and unbeaten cruiserweight knocked out countryman Ellis Zorro within the eighth spherical. An preliminary proper hand rocked Zorro, and a follow-up shot put him down for the ten rely. The official time was 2:59 into the eighth spherical of their British cruiserweight title battle Saturday at First Direct Enviornment in Leeds, England.
There was little motion to be discovered within the previous seven rounds. The slow-moving affair noticed Zorro—a former world title challenger—incessantly clinch however solely drew one warning.
Clarke was content material to take no matter openings introduced themselves earlier than he discovered his stride halfway by means of the bout.
Zorro was buzzed by a proper hand inside the ultimate 20 seconds of the eighth spherical. Clarke grinned as he knew another shot would shut the present. That second got here simply earlier than the bell for granted hand alongside the ropes despatched Zorro to the canvas.
Clarke shimmied earlier than he was instructed to go to a impartial nook. Referee Mark Bates reached the rely of ten to convey an finish to the battle.
The loss is the second straight for Zorro (17-2, 7 knockouts). RING cruiserweight champion Jai Opetaia blitzed by means of Zorro in only one spherical on December 23 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Clarke superior to 9-0 (7 KOs). The stoppage was his first past the fifth spherical.
Paddy Donovan went extra rounds than ever earlier than to stay excellent as a professional. The Andy Lee-trained welterweight prospect dialed up the strain and broke down veteran fringe contender Lewis Ritson. A late surge compelled referee Howard Foster to cease the battle.
Each fighters have been predictable for a lot of the bout. Donovan, a 25-year-old southpaw from Limerick, Eire, was persistent together with his physique assault. Protection was a difficulty, nevertheless, as he was unable to slide Ritson’s proper hand excessive.
Motion was aggressive by means of seven rounds earlier than Donovan turned a nook within the eighth. Ritson was pinned alongside the ropes late and absorbed physique pictures and proper hooks up high. The Brit barely made it out of the spherical however clearly had little left in his arsenal.
Donovan (14-0, 11 knockouts) picked up on that growth and didn’t waste any time to shut the present. A barrage of punches left Ritson unable defend himself or reply, which compelled the stoppage.
Paddy Donovan (proper) pours on the assault in a ninth spherical stoppage of Lewis Ritson on Could 25 in Leeds, England. Photograph Credit score: Mikey Williams, High Rank
Ritson (23-4, 13 KOs) has now suffered three stoppage defeats inside his previous 5 fights. The fast decline got here after a extremely questionable win over former IBF light-weight titlist Miguel Vazquez in Oct. 2020.
Donovan had by no means fought previous the eighth spherical by means of his first 13 professional fights. His deepest win inside the gap got here in his final battle. Donovan halted Williams Herrera within the seventh spherical of their Jan. 27 battle in Belfast.
One other Irish southpaw claimed a win on the undercard. Gary Cully (18-1, 10 KOs) outpointed Belgium’s Francesco Patera (29-5, 11 KOs) over ten rounds of their light-weight battle. Scores have been 96-94, 96-94 and 98-92 for Cully, who received his second in a row.
Each bouts aired on the undercard of the Josh Taylor-Jack Catterall 2 undercard.
Jake Donovan is a senior author for The Ring and vice chairman of the Boxing Writers Affiliation of America.
Observe @JakeNDaBox
