In a captivating display of skill and determination, Fran Hennessy secured the vacant WBC Silver bantamweight title with a majority decision victory over Ellie Bouttell at the Copper Box Arena this past Saturday. The fight, which was elevated to the main event due to the cancellation of Adam Azim and Gustavo Lemos’ bout, showcased the best of women’s boxing.
Hennessy, maintaining an unbeaten record of 8-0 with 1 KO, started the fight with a dominant first round. However, the tide turned in the second round when she suffered a cut. Despite this setback, the 21-year-old boxer kept her composure and unleashed a barrage of punches in the third round. Bouttell, with a record of 7-1-1 and 2 KOs, began to close the gap in the fifth round, engaging Hennessy in a fierce exchange.
The sixth round saw Bouttell land a left-right combination that momentarily knocked Hennessy off balance. However, Hennessy regained control in the seventh round, demonstrating excellent footwork and movement. The final rounds were a testament to both fighters’ endurance and skill, with Bouttell landing significant shots in the ninth and both fighters going toe-to-toe in the tenth.
The judges’ scorecards reflected the closely contested nature of the bout, with one judge scoring it a draw at 95-95, while the other two awarded Hennessy the victory with scores of 97-93 and 96-94 respectively. This victory brings Hennessy one step closer to a potential shot at the undisputed bantamweight champion, Cherneka Johnson.
In other action-packed bouts, rising light heavyweight star Gradus Kraus delivered a brutal second-round stoppage victory over Boris Crighton. Kraus, with a record of 10-0 and 9 KOs, floored Crighton in the first round with a left hook to the body. The Dutch fighter continued his onslaught in the second round, ultimately securing his tenth professional win.
The undercard also featured several notable performances. Ergal Elezaj remained undefeated in a heavyweight slugfest against Will Howe. Hassan Azim, brother of Adam Azim, made a successful return to the ring after nearly a year, stopping Sean Murray in the fifth round. Joel Kodua defended his English welterweight title for the first time, with Joe Garside’s corner throwing in the towel at the end of the seventh round.
Other winners on the night included Archie Sharp, who continued his comeback with a points victory over Angelo Dragone, lightweight prospect Saqib Mehmood, who secured his second professional win against Engel Gomez, and Ben Vickers, who edged out debutant Derrick Osadolor in a narrow points win in their heavyweight clash.
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