PAUL BUTLER took a firm step towards a world title fight when he outpointed old rival Stuey Hall in a 12 round bantamweight contest at the Echo Arena in Liverpool on Saturday (September 30).
As Hall marauded forward, Butler counter-punched with slick skills. He clipped Hall with his left hook and led with a textbook backhand right. Stuey plunged forward, hammering his right through.
Butler turned southpaw and still boxed well, bringing Hall on to a left uppercut. He continued to pop his left through, working busily as Hall attacked. In the ninth round he looked to hurt Stuey, ripping his left hook into the body and then striking the head.
But Hall did not fade out of the fight. He pressed on, all the more determined, driving himself at Butler as Paul returned fire. Still Hall hammered at Butler’s guard and body. Paul relied on his footwork and head movement as he made sure of an impressive decision win, 117-111 on one card and 118-110 for the other two judges.
“It was very sweet. Great competitor Stuey Hall, we knew how tough he was,” Butler said. “I’m a lot more composed.”
This was a WBA world title eliminator. “Jamie McDonnell holds the WBA title we want him next. I wish him all the best against Liborio Solis [on November 4],” Paul said.
On the undercard Tom Farrell took too much punishment against Ohara Davies as the Hackney man hammered him to the canvas time and again. The bout went on frankly too long but the too brave Farrell was halted in the sixth round.
Thomas Stalker lost a hard fought battle with Sean Dodd for the Commonwealth lightweight title.
Rocky Fielding stopped David Brophy to win their British and Commonwealth super-middleweight title fight.
Dereck Chisora came back with a win, beating Robert Filipovic. Scott Fitzgerald impressed as he stopped Bradley Pryce. Anthony Fowler halted Jay Byrne and Nastasha Jonas was victorious in her second professional contest, defeating Bojana Libiszewska.
