Mikael Lawal stops David Jamieson after eight rounds to become British cruiserweight champion; Sam Gilley knocks down Sean Robinson on way to retaining English super-welterweight title; Shannon Ryan and Hassan Azim secure dominant points wins
Sunday 27 November 2022 19:45, UK
Mikael Lawal produced a trademark display of power to become British cruiserweight champion with a stoppage win over David Jamieson.
The pair duelled in a thrilling encounter that saw momentum swing back and forth for eight rounds at Alexandra Palace, until Jamieson was forced to retire with what appeared to be a serious injury to his jaw.
The victory sees Lawal maintain his perfect professional record and move to 17-0, with 11 wins inside the distance, leaving him well placed for bigger fights in 2023 in a vibrant British cruiserweight scene.
Lawal had beaten Jamieson on his way to becoming Ultimate Boxxer champion in a three-round tournament in 2019, but the Scot quickly showed signs that this would be a closer contest.
A looping right hand shook Lawal in the second round and the London fighter was forced to hold on as he sought to escape a continued assault from Jamieson.
Jamieson continued to have success as the pair exchanged thudding blows in the round that followed, but Lawal steadily began to assert himself.
The Nigerian-born fighter's improvement was highlighted by a left hook early in the sixth, which appeared to shake Jamieson. Lawal would end the round with a couple of sharp jabs to move further into the ascendancy.
A brutal seventh round saw Jamieson pile on the pressure as a low blow that went unpunished left Lawal complaining to the referee, but he would compose himself to end the round on the front foot.
Lawal once more had the better of the eighth, but just as the fight appeared set for a grandstand finish, Jamieson was pulled out by his corner with blood pouring from his mouth.
Sam Gilley scored a stunning knockdown on his way to retaining the English super-welterweight against Sean Robinson with a comfortable points win.
Robinson started brightly in the battle of two London fighters who were once sparring partners, but a Gilley left hook late in the fourth wobbled his opponent, and ultimately turned the contest.
The champion's confidence increased, and he almost ended the fight at the start of the sixth round, as a huge right hand sent Robinson to the canvas.
The challenger did well to survive the round, with Gilley, apparently wary of using up all of his energy, not pushing too hard for a finish after the knockdown.
Robinson gradually regained his poise and did his best to deliver an unlikely comeback in the closing stages, but Gilley, aware he was up on the cards, was able to cruise to a unanimous decision. Two judges scored it 98-91 and the third 97-93, with Gilley improving to 15-1 for his career.
Shannon Ryan impressed in the first six-round contest of her career with a dominant points victory over Ivanka Ivanova.
The 25-year-old, who only made her professional debut in March, rounded off a successful first year in the professional game with an accomplished display to move to 4-0.
Ryan peppered the Bulgarian with fast and accurate shots throughout, as the Watford fighter's speed and variety proved far too much for her game opponent to cope with.
The judge gave every round to Ryan, as she earned a 60-54 margin, which will take her into 2023 with plenty of momentum.
Hassan Azim extended his perfect record with a dominant points victory over Nestor Amukoto.
Azim, the older brother of Adam, moved to 5-0 after once more displaying his potential with a series of vicious combinations, that appeared to have his Namibian opponent on the brink of being stopped at several points.
The 22-year-old, who like his brother is trained by Shane McGuigan, was caught with a few clean blows as he sought a knockout in the latter stages, but was ultimately awarded a comprehensive 60-55 victory.
Michael Hennessy Jr produced the best performance of his career to date to stop James McCarthy in the fourth round.
The 23-year-old, who is the son of promoter Mick Hennessy, claimed just the second stoppage of his professional career after an explosive finish to a measured display, in which he patiently waited for his opportunity before unleashing a barrage of punches to take his record to 10-1-1.
Jeamie TKV picked up his third professional win. The London heavyweight was in a swing bout with Joel Ducille scheduled for six rounds.
But he only needed one round to club Ducille down with big shots. He drove the Birmingham man into the ropes and hammered at him with hooks until the referee had to intervene.
