Saturday 13 May 2017 21:41, UK
Frankie Gavin kept his career alive after grinding out a points win over Renald Garrido in Birmingham.
Gavin was granted a referee's verdict of 77-75 after eight rounds in his first fight since losing to cross-city rival Sam Eggington last year.
Garrido started off confidently, pouring on the pressure in the opening seconds and backing up the home fighter up in the opener. The second round followed a similar trend as Gavin struggled to find his range given the closer nature at which the contest was being fought.
Gavin then started to come into the fight in the third, landing a solid jab followed by a sharp uppercut to showcase the technical advantage he had over his opponent. Rounds four and five followed a similar trend, with Gavin landing the cleaner work when he let his hands go.
Both fighters were visibly tiring by the sixth, but Gavin continued to catch Garrido with the left uppercut before rattling off a right jab, left-hand combination in the seventh before controlling the eight with the jab and earn a victory on the referee's card.
Gamal Yafai impressed on his brother Kal's undercard to stop Sean Davis in the seventh-round after six knockdowns.
After an even opener, Yafai landed a sharp right hook in the second before sending his opponent crashing down in the third with a vicious body shot. Davies did well to beat the count and seemed to have re-grouped to land a solid left hook of his own in the fourth.
'The Beast' then lived to his nickname as he unloaded further body shots to drop Davis twice in the fifth. Davis survived the round but after a quiet sixth, Yafai threw further artillery to Davis' body to send him to the canvas three more times before the referee waved it off.
Rio 2016 Olympian Josh Kelly knocked out Jony Vina to earn his second professional victory.
The 'Pretty Boy' was happy to stand in the pocket and unload sharp combinations up close in round one, before controlling the fight with the jab in sessions two and three respectively.
Kelly then upped the pace of his work to unleash a spiteful jab, right-hand combination to drop Vina in the fourth. Vina made it to his feet but the Sunderland man poured the pressure on to end the contest.
