Home Breaking Boxing News Ringside Report: ‘Reloaded’ Cardiff Undercard

Ringside Report: ‘Reloaded’ Cardiff Undercard

Matchroom Boxing put on a show at the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff on February 1st in front of a packed crowd. The night of action provided everything that makes boxing great – drama, tension, action and bucket-loads of heart. The main events grab the headlines though this show had competitive bouts through-out and that is a credit to the promoter, matchmaker and also the boxers for taking the bouts.

In the opening contest, of the bill, Reading based welterweight Tamuka Mucha scored a good six rounds points victory, over a competitive Leon Findlay, of Swansea.

Mucha had the edge in accuracy and was the busier fighter. Findlay had some good moments and landed good straight rights, and body shots, but Tamuka often had a reply. In particular Mucha’s left jab was effective and he opened the bout strongly and finished the fight the same way. Leon was cut, over the left, in the third.

Referee Reece Carter scored it 60-56 and I had it exactly the same.

Tamuka Mucha remains undefeated 7-0 while Leon Findlay is now 5-5-1

Swansea’s Tobias Webb overcame an early scare, when he was dropped at the end of the first round, against Nathan King of Mountain Ash. Webb beat referee Martin Williams count and was fine to continue, the knock-down certainly caught everyone by surprise, not least the fighter.

King is a tough, battling professional, who always remains dangerous but, on this night, it was the classier skills and movement of Webb that were winning the rounds.

Tobias landed solid left jabs and the sharper shots through-out. King was cut, over the left eye, in the fourth and was being picked off. The final round saw good exchanges between the pair.

The official score of 60-56 was spot-on.

Tobias Webb improves to 14-1-1 while Nathan King drops to 13-21

The much more experienced Kerry Hope got a good work-out from Northern Ireland’s Paul Moffett, in a six round super middleweight contest.

Southpaw Hope was quicker to the punch and used the left jab to great effect. Moffett had a strong third round but in the fourth was hurt by a straight left and later another left caused damage to his nose, with blood streaming.

Moffett put up a good display and his body punching was impressive, he didn’t fight like someone having only their fifth paid contest. Hope, the former European middleweight title holder, used his experience and good boxing skills to win the rounds, everything flows from his southpaw jab and combined with decent speed, he was always one-step ahead of the plucky Moffett.

Referee Reece Carter had it close at 59-58 for Kerry Hope, I had it wider for the Merthyr Tydfil native at 59-55.

Kerry Hope is back to winning ways and improves to 20-6 while Paul Moffett suffers his first defeat and is now 4-1-1.

Dale Evans and Erick Ochieng provided the fans with an intriguing welterweight battle, the fight had originally been scheduled for the ExCel Arena, Dockland, London back in December but was pulled due to the show running on too long.

The fight was well worth the wait and both had moments of control in the fight, it was the Welshman that started the better, of the two, as he landed two solid right hands to Ochieng’s body in the first. In the early rounds Evans employed a fine left jab and was landing the harder shots.

The fourth saw a good body attack from Dale while Erick was getting in good counters. I gave Ochieng the fifth, as he had found his rhythm and was getting home with some solid right hands.

Evans was back on top in the sixth, thanks to his impressive body punching. The seventh almost turned the fight in Erick’s favour, as he had a big round, landing right-hands and the Welshman looked in a bit of bother, with referee Clarke Joslyn having a close look at the fighter.

Credit to Evans for ‘weathering the storm’ and even coming back strongly in the final round.

Referee Clark Joslyn rightly had Dale Evans as the winner, after eight completed rounds, with a score of 77-76.

Dale Evans record improves to 8-1-1 while the loss drops Erick Ochieng to 14-3.

Light-welterweight Chris Jenkins scored a unanimous decision, over ten rounds, for the vacant WBC International light welterweight title against the tough, durable, former French champion Christopher Sebire.

Jenkins put on a well-rounded consistent display, to win the rounds, and boxed well. He had the advantages in speed and timing and boxed beautifully with everything flowing from the left hand. The jab and hooks to the body being well-placed.

Sebire, to his credit, kept coming but was always a step behind the boxer from Garnant, Wales. Jenkins was badly cut around the left ear, in the eighth, but never lost composure and stuck to his game-plan and remained focused through-out the contest.

The judges scores were 100-90×2 and 100-91. Jenkins was a clear, and well deserved, winner against a game opponent.

Chris Jenkins remains unbeaten at 13-0, while Sebire drops to 22-7.

Anthony Joshua entered his bout with Aberdare’s Dorian Darch, as a massive favourite and the huge heavyweight proved the odds makers right, with an impressive display of power, to register a second round stoppage.

Joshua showed a powerful left jab and good movement when Darch launched an attack. Darch did get through with a right-hand that caught the Watford fighters attention.

Two straight-rights, near the end of the first, sent Darch shakily back to the ropes and Joshua didn’t hesitate to follow-up with a barrage. Credit to Darch, he fired back but was buzzed.

The damage already inflicted was evident on the Welshman’s right eye and the right-hand was finding home again, for Joshua in the second. A left hook had Darch stumbling, to the ropes, and referee Terry O’Connor wisely stepped in and called a halt to the bout.

Anthony Joshua is now 4-0 while Dorian Darch drops to 7-3.

The closing bout of the evening was the much anticipated battle between Jason Cook and Tony Pace, in a contest for the vacant BBBofC Celtic welterweight title.

The fight was evenly fought with Cook taking the opener but Pace coming back and winning the next two. Cook had the edge in power but Pace was responding well and replying to Jason’s attacks.

Tony was boxing a smart fight and picking his moments, though, ultimately, it was the vastly more experienced Cook, who timed a perfect right-hand, in the fourth that badly shook Pace. Referee John Keane, stopped the contest to save Pace from the follow-up.

Jason ‘The Power’ Cook certainly lived up-to his nickname and if this was his final fight, he has gone out on a high – though one suspects the crowd buzz and big occasion might tempt him back for the next Welsh Matchroom show in May. Whatever he decides, he has been a fantastic servant to the game. The Celtic title, he won against Pace, will sit nicely along with the many other belts that he has won including the IBO and European lightweight titles.

Jason Cook now has a record of 30-5-1 while Tony Pace falls to 4-7.