THROWING left hooks at Tony Bellew is a risky business. Brazil’s Julio Cesar Dos Santos tried it and the Liverpudlian banged in his own left hook, quicker, faster and harder to stop Dos Santos in the fifth round.
Bellew’s old rival Nathan Cleverly has joined Tony up at cruiserweight and also boxed on this Echo Arena bill in Liverpool. He scored a stoppage victory over Alejandro Emilio Valori, his draining left hooks to the body proved key as he downed the Argentine in four rounds.
Their bitterest venom however was reserved for one another. Tempers threatened to boil over after Bellew barked some words down at Cleverly from the ring.
“I already beat this guy,” the Welshman would declare to a hostile Liverpool crowd, “guess what, I’ll do it again.”
The two will box again later this year.
Heavyweight hope Anthony Joshua dispatched a feisty Matt Skelton in two rounds. Fellow Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell outpointed Craig Woodruff in a six rounder and London 2012 bronze medallist Anthony Ogogo forced out Wayne Reed in five rounds.
Vladine Biosse gritted his teeth and suffered as he took excellent super-middleweight prospect Callum Smith 10 rounds for the first time. Another Liverpudlian super-middleweight, Rocky Fielding also stepped up. His fight with Noe Gonzalez Alcoba swung back and forth but Rocky overpowered him in the fifth round.
Callum’s brother Stpehen Smith outpointed Pedro Navarrate over eight rounds. Heavy-handed prospect Gamal Yafai had to make do with a four-round points win over Reynaldo Cajina. Tommy Martin picked up a victory in his first outing for new promoters Matchroom and John Quigley opened the show win a points win over Ian Bailey.
For the full report don’t miss next week’s issue of Boxing News
