Malik Zinad crushes Michal Gazdik

Malik Zinad

BIG-HITTING Malik Zinad made an impressive London debut, crushing Slovakian Michal Gazdik in two rounds at York Hall. Libyan-born Zinad (based in Malta) came storming out for the second, slamming in both hands, until Gazdik collapsed on his knees in his own corner. Referee Lee Every counted him out after 33 seconds.

Gazdik didnโ€™t do badly in the first. Zinad used his height and reach advantages to score with long jabs but Gazdik was happy to come inside โ€“ and when Zinad opened up, Gazdik hit back.  But Gazdik had no answer to Zinadโ€™s second-round onslaught. It had been scheduled for eight.

It was Zinadโ€™s 15th straight victory, the 13th inside-schedule โ€“ including quick wins in Cardiff and Glasgow.

Edmontonโ€™s unbeaten Ryan Charles was in even more of a hurry, taking just 2-17 of a scheduled six to dispose of Polandโ€™s Mateusz Rybarski.

Charles came out aggressively from the outset. Rybarski tried to move but Charles ruthlessly hunted him down, scoring with both hands.

Charles landed a right to the head and followed up quickly to have Rybarski under pressure on the ropes. An unanswered burst to the head put the visitor down โ€“ he was up at โ€œeightโ€ but staggered, prompting Mr Every to wave it off.

The remaining 10 bouts on this Priority Promotions bill all went the distance, with the house fighters victorious every time โ€“ and winning 45 and sharing one of the 48 rounds.

That said, some bouts were competitive and entertaining โ€“ including the six-rounder between West Ham-based Afghani Quaise Khademi and Tanzanian Jemsi Kibazange, won by the formerby 60-55 for referee Lee Cook.

Kibazange โ€“ the sole โ€œawayโ€ fighter with a winning record โ€“ moved well and hit back when Khademi attacked. But Khademi was always that bit more on target, and by the second Kibazange had a swelling below the right eye.

Kibazange lost his gumshield in the third and was forced to cover up and retreat in the fourth as Khademi landed with both hands. But he rallied in the fifth and landed a few to the head without really bothering Khademi.

Closest fight of the night was the curtain-closer, which saw Redhillโ€™s Luke Pearson edge out Birminghamโ€™s Waqas Mohammed by 39-38 for Mr Every. Both worked for the full four, though they got tangled up from time to time. Pearson switched stance and just about had the edge, though Mohammed scored well when he got close.

Davis Pagan (Basildon) floored Spain-based Nicaraguan Geiboord Omier in the second and took their four-rounder by 40-35 for Mr Every.

A combination to the head sent Omier staggering back and he went down, jumping up quickly to take the eight-count. The visitor was in survival mode in the third, moving, ducking and holding โ€“ but was prepared to come forward in the last when Pagan went on the move.

Two debutants scored shutout wins, Londoner Constantine Williams beating Spain-based Mexican Fernando Valencia over six (Mr Every) and Iranian-born Alizara Ghadiri, now based in Maida Vale, taking Mr Cookโ€™s 40-36 verdict over Lewisham-based Swede Edward Bjorklund over four.

Williams used his height and reach advantages, and his punches were more solid. Vargas made a decent effort but picked up a long diagonal cut by the left eye in the first, and the wound continued to bleed. By the end Valenciaโ€™s face was a mess.

Williams scored at long range while Valencia tended to fall short โ€“ and that really was the difference.

Ghadiri pressed and scored consistently with rights to the head, while southpaw Bjorklund looked to move and stay out of trouble.

Frenchman Hermann โ€œManosโ€ Umande made a winning UK debut, switching stance and outscoring Chessingtonโ€™s Richard Harrison over four. Referee Cook scored it 40-36.

Umande was always on top, and raised a bump under Harrisonโ€™s left eye in the first โ€“ but Harrison never stopped trying to get close and land.

Over six, Lewisham-based Zimbabwean Anesu Twala beat Braintreeโ€™s Dylan Draper by 60-54 (Cook) and Epsomโ€™s unbeaten Dan Morley bested Newarkโ€™s Fonz Alexander by 59-55 (Every).

In fours Mr Cook handed 40-36 verdicts to Croydonโ€™s Nathanael Wilson over Cardiffโ€™s Rhys Saunders, and to Wembleyโ€™s Tashan Dwyer over Llanelli-based Pole Robert Studzinski.

During the evening Regis Prograis was called into the ring, displaying his two world championship belts and talking confidently (but respectfully) of his World Boxing Super Series super-lightweight showdown with Josh Taylor on October 26.

The Verdict Zinad arrives with a bang, and other house fighters all win.

FULL RESULTS
Malik Zinad (170lbs), 15-0 (13), w ko 2 Michal Gazdik (168lbs), 6-7 (4); Herman Manos Umande (172lbs), 3-1, w pts 4 Richard Harrison (177lbs), 3-41; Davis Pagan (159lbs), 10-2 (1), w pts 4 Geiboord Omier (160lbs), 4-45-1 (3); Tashan Dwyer (167lbs), 3-0, w pts 4 Robert Studzinski (168lbs), 5-42 (3); Ryan Charles (242lbs), 7-0 (2), w rsf 1 Mateusz Rybarski (233lbs), 1-10; Anesu Twala (152lbs), 5-1, w pts 6 Dylan Draper (147lbs), 1-38; Constantine Williams (162lbs), 1-0, w pts 6 Fernando Valencia (158lbs), 8-17 (4); Alizara Ghadiri (128lbs), 1-0, w pts 4 Edward Bjorklund (131lbs), 1-27-1 (1); Dan Morley (150lbs), 6-0, w pts 6 Fonz Alexander (149lbs), 7-104 (4); Quaise Khademi (115lbs 1oz), 7-0 (2), w pts 6 Jemsi Kibazange (115lbs), 12-4-2 (1); Luke Pearson (123lbs), 2-0, w pts 4 Waqas Mohammed (126lbs), 2-5-1; Nathanael Wilson (147lbs), 8-1-1 (2), w pts 4 Rhys Saunders (146lbs), 3-22-1 (1).

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