LISA WHITESIDE continued the perfect start to her professional career as she secured another inside-the-distance victory. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist, 33, improved to three fights unbeaten with a one-sided win over Evgeniya Zablotskaya at the Bolton Whites Hotel. Whiteside, who resides in Preston but was born in Chorley, knocked down Russia’s Zablotskaya before stopping her inside two rounds.
This MTK Fight Night card was streamed exclusively live in the UK and worldwide on iFL TV and on ESPN+ Stateside, as part of the link-up between MTK Global and Bob Arum’s Top Rank Inc.
Referee John Latham called a halt to proceedings after 1-47 of the second round, having seen more than enough to convince him that the Saint Petersburg-born visitor was unable to continue.
“I’ve got natural power and I felt comfortable in there,” said Whiteside, who has recently moved up in weight.
“I was on fire in this fight and I’ve brought my power into this weight class. I want a big step up next that can get me up there.”
It was a night when MTK Global was forced to split its workforce in two with having a show in Dubai on the same night (on which Andrew Selby got back to winning ways with a first-round stoppage and Muhammad Waseem took just 62 seconds to get rid of Conrado Tanamor at Caesars Palace in association with Round 10 Promotions).
Mike McGoldrick was victorious in his first six-round contest as he overcame experienced Riga man Jevgenijs Andrejevs. McGoldrick, who ordinarily campaigns at light-heavyweight, scored the first stoppage of his burgeoning paid career against the veteran Latvian southpaw (taking part in his 121st contest as a professional) after third man Jamie Kirkpatrick waved the fight off after 1-30 of the penultimate round.
The Barrow-in-Furness man had the better of the exchanges throughout the contest and didn’t allow his opponent any room to work, smothering him and peppering him with the jab before unleashing hurtful, unanswered shots on his opponent against the ropes.
To his credit, in the latter stages Andrejevs began to tie up McGoldrick in an attempt to stem the attacking flow, but the damage had been done earlier in the fight.
The referee, flanked by inspectors Matt Verity and Josh Sadler as well as British Boxing Board of Control area representatives Ian Metcalfe and Sally Sey, saved the quickly retreating journeyman from any further punishment.
Sahir Iqbal improved his flawless ledger with a four-round victory over Kevin McCauley.
Iqbal, the 23-year-old from Bolton, was boxing in his hometown for the third time as a pro. He successfully built on his 40-36 win over Damian Esquisabel at the Eventim Olympia in Liverpool back in April by securing the same margin of triumph – courtesy of referee Jamie Kirkpatrick – over the game 39-year-old McCauley.
The Stourbridge journeyman has at least another two assignments pencilled in between now and the end of the year – and he’s been in action 15 times already this calendar year.
Liam Gaynor was in similar form as he was awarded the same scoreline by the same official against Oldham’s Taka Bembere.
Gaynor, a 21-year-old from Kilmanagh in Ireland, is now undefeated in four and has two wins since returning from a 20-month layoff back in July. And referee John Latham oversaw a pair of four-rounders. Yorkshire’s Josh Padley added to his professional record with another win, building on his positive debut result back in April.
The man who was born in Doncaster but resides in Armthorpe is just 23 years old and now has two wins from two after outpointing Blackburn’s Naheem Chaudhry by 40-36, while Ryan Stevenson – another from Armthorpe in Yorkshire – got the nod by the same margin against Islington’s Jordan Grannum.
The Verdict MTK Global continues its monopoly on the small-hall scene as Whiteside looks for bigger tests and McGoldrick impresses.
FULL RESULTS
Lisa Whiteside (113lbs 2oz), 3-0 (1), w rsf 2 Evgeniya Zablotskaya (106lbs 2oz), 8-19 (4); Mike McGoldrick (176lbs 8oz), 5-0 (1), w rsf 5 Jevgenijs Andrejevs (178lbs), 10-108 (4); Sahir Iqbal (155lbs 6oz), 6-0 (1), w pts 4 Kevin McCauley (158lbs 12oz), 15-197-12; Liam Gaynor (129lbs 4oz), 4-0, w pts 4 Taka Bembere (128lbs 10oz), 1-11 (1); Josh Padley (138lbs 2oz), 2-0, w pts 4 Naheem Chaudhry (143lbs 8oz), 2-54-1 (1); Ryan Stevenson (153lbs 2oz), 7-0 (1), w pts 4 Jordan Grannum (164lbs 10oz), 5-58-2.
