Sunday 8 October 2017 00:20, UK
Sam Eggington failed to defend his European welterweight title after he was defeated by Mohamed Mimoune in Manchester on Saturday.
The Birmingham fighter, 23, struggled to cope with the technical and countering ability of Mimoune as the Frenchman claimed a split decision victory.
Mimoune, 30, came into the championship bout with just two stoppages on his record, but it was his clever movement and smart ring craft that proved the decisive factor against 'The Savage'.
The defending champion, who was making the first defence of his title, immediately took charge of the centre of the ring on the first bell as he looked to apply pressure early on, but it was quickly apparent that the French southpaw would be a tricky opponent.
It did not take long for Mimoune, 'The Problem', to find his range, spinning in and out of range in the second, landing some flashy left hooks as the Birmingham favourite's eye started to swell.
The confident start from the southpaw continued into the next period as a cluster of swift punches kept Eggington at bay, before a counter right hand landed flush.
After a frustrating opening for the champion, the momentum slowly shifted in the fourth as 'The Savage' started to find success as he walked down the challenger, landing some punishing combinations with Mimoune on the ropes.
In the mid-rounds, Eggington upped the tempo, forcing the fight with relentless pressure, making 'The Problem' work for every minute, but still the 30-year-old Mimoune was landing some effective and smart counter punches making for difficult scoring.
A close-up brawl in the eighth round, which would normally suit Eggington, saw the Frenchman actually get the better of his opponent as he landed a flurry of flush punches as again the tide turned in the fight.
Each fighter landed hooks to both the head and body in the ninth and tenth rounds in what was increasingly proving a very difficult fight to score, before Mimoune took control and got the better of the championship periods.
The Frenchman claimed the victory after two judges scored the contest 116-112 and 115-113 in his favour while one judge gave Eggington a 116-112 victory.
Speaking after the fight, Eggington said: "He definitely scored some clean shots, it was a fair decision. I'm not going to make any excuses, Mimoune was tricky and slippery and hats off to him."
