PETER McGrail defeated Ionut Baluta on a majority decision in Birmingham this evening. It was an entertaining battle between McGrail’s skilful approach and Baluta’s well-timed rushes. McGrail, 29, left with the WBA International super-bantamweight title.
Judges Leszek Jankowiak and Olena Pobyvailo scored it 97-93 in favour of McGrail, while Bob Williams dropped in a wildcard 95-95 to spice things up. Steve Gray refereed.
McGrail opted early to plant his feet and let a few shots go. Baluta even stumbled a little as he tried to find angles. Lacking pure punch power, Baluta was able to drag his opponent into a scrap and land his customary hooks.
McGrail landed a perfect left hand in the fifth that sent Baluta momentarily drifting along the ropes. The Liverpudlian had blood dripping from his nostrils between rounds and a cut above the right eyebrow in round six. Baluta appeared to have a puddle of blood forming on top of his own head.
It was a professional display from McGrail, who used his handspeed and ring intelligence to bank rounds. Baluta, a Romanian based in Spain, never threatened to break through and replicate some of his previous wins on UK soil.
Peter McGrail improves to 12-1 (6 KOs) and will seek to nail down the Shabaz Masoud fight that was supposed to take place here before Baluta stepped in. Hoping to grab another Brit scalp, Ionut Baluta falls to 17-6-1 (3 KOs).
