Friday night delivers another cracking series of fights from Matchroom HQ
The third week of Eddie Hearn's
Fight Camp featured some more great match-ups including Felix Cash vs Jason Welborn, Zelfa Barrett vs Eric Donovan, Kieran Conway vs Nav Mansouri, Shannon Courtenay vs Rachel Ball and John Docherty vs Anthony Fox.
After the sense of occasion that came with
week 1, the history-making event that Jonas and Harper gave us in
week 2, and the spectacular card that we know we're getting in week 4, week 3, in a sense, had become the forgotten 'middle child' of fight camp.
While lacking the dramatic main event seen in the
previous two weeks, those who watched on Friday night were treated to some quality boxing none the less.
Here's how it all unfolded -
John Docherty (9 - 0 - 0) vs Anthony Fox (8 - 13 - 4)
8 rounds at super middleweight
Winner - Docherty (TKO round 7)
A dominant performance in what was a bit of a step up in class for undefeated John Docherty.
A look at Fox's record may suggest a soft touch, but he certainly had no intention of giving Docherty an easy night.
Although being forced onto the back-foot from the start, Fox was able to counter well and give his opponent a puzzle to solve for the first few rounds.
In the middle rounds, Docherty began to find his range, getting through with some big shots which, at the end of the 6th, had Fox looking unsteady as he walked back to his corner.
Sensing the stoppage, Docherty stepped on the gas and had Fox down early in the 7th. Although able to beat the count, Fox was wasn't able to offer anything in return as Docherty went in for the finish, forcing the referee to step in.
Kieran Conway (15 - 1 - 1) vs Nav Mansouri (20 - 4 - 2)
10 rounds for the WBA Intercontinental super welterweight Championship
Winner - Conway (99 - 92, 98 - 92 and 98 - 92)
We expected a close one here and that's exactly what we got, with the fight going the distance over some very close rounds.
Mansouri set a ferocious pace from the opening bell, looking the busier of the two through the first half of the fight.
Conway, being more economical, picked his punches carefully and did the cleaner more effective work while Mansouri just kept pressing forward making for some very competitive rounds early on.
In the second half of the fight, Mansouri began to slow down allowing Conway to take over. In the 7th he caught Mansouri with a left hand that rocked him and allowed Conway to unload with some heavy combinations.
Mansouri was out on his feet, taking hard shots on the ropes while the referee looked on as though just one more clean punch would see him jump in.
Miraculously, Mansouri was able to see out the round and fight on to the final bell, but with the second half of the fight being Conway's the decision could only go one way.
Shannon Courtenay (5 - 1) vs Rachel Ball (6 - 1)
8 rounds at super bantamweight
Winner - Ball (77- 75)
Previously unbeaten Shannon Courtenay put her record on the line in a step up in class against former kickboxing champion Rachel Ball.
One of the big questions going into this one was who would benefit from the height difference and in the first round, that question looked to be answered when Courtenay got in underneath Ball and landed a heavy right hand over the top.
Courtenay's success was shortlived though - with Ball looking shaken she rushed in swinging wildly only to be dropped by a short left.
Able to compose herself between rounds, Courtenay came out for the second looking by far the stronger of the two, finding her range with overhand rights and backing Rachel Ball up with hurtful body shots.
As well as a strong offence, Courtenay showed good head movement, using her smaller stature to avoid much of what Ball threw at her, and despite the knock-down, seemed able to walk through Ball's punches.
In the later rounds, Courtenay's inexperience over the distance started to show as she began to visibly tire and allow Ball back into the fight.
At the end of the 8 rounds, the referee who scored the contest awarded Ball the win with a score of 77 - 75.
It's an unfortunate result for Courtenay who will feel she did enough through rounds 2 - 7 to get the win, but she'll have a learned a lot from it and at only 6 fights into her career, can certainly come back from the loss.
For Ball, who went in as the underdog, the win clearly meant the world as she broke down into tears during the post-fight interview.
Zelfa Barrett (24 - 1) vs Eric Donovan (12 - 1)
10 rounds at super featherweight
Winner - Barrett (KO round 8)
Zelfa Barrett takes his record to 24 - 1 with a sensational 8th round stoppage over the previously unbeaten Eric Donovan.
It was a Cagey opening few rounds with neither man too willing to commit.
Donovan began to up the pace in the 3rd, applying good pressure while Barrett landed some nice counters in what was shaping up to be a very close match-up.
As the fight pressed on Donovan began to steal the rounds and looked like he might be running away with it when in the seventh, Barrett landed a monster left hook, sending his opponent crashing to the canvas.
Donavan was able to beat the count and fend Barrett off but was beaten to the canvas once more just before the bell rang to end the round.
At the start of the 8th, Barrett shook Donovan again with a huge right. Donavan, showing an incredible chin, somehow stayed on his feet and kept throwing back before being caught with the very same left hook that caused the first knockdown. It was a heavier fall this time and ref waved it off almost immediately.
Felix Cash (13 - 0) vs Jason Welborn (24 - 9)
12 rounds for the Commonwealth middleweight championship
Winner - Cash (KO round 5
In what was expected to be his toughest test to date, unbeaten Felix Cash took on experienced campaigner Jason Welborn.
With 8 losses on his record, there were question marks as to how much ambition Welborn would have going into the fight and although he looked to give it his all, in the end, it was a fairly easy night for Cash.
Cash looked sharp in the opening rounds landing crisp, hurtful punches.
By the third Welborn was already looking tired, and after taking a couple of consecutive low blows, was beginning to look as though the fight was being taken out of him.
Welborne, although enjoying small patches of success when attempting to force the action, was largely outworked and out-landed by cash who started to open up in the 5th, putting together spiteful combinations that saw Welborn hit the canvas multiple times.
Although none of the knockdowns looked particularly heavy, and Welborn was able to beat the count each time, his corner had seen enough and threw in the towel.
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