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Dalton Smith Wins, Gamal Yafai In Punishing Loss – Wood vs Lara Undercard Highlights

Written by Kerr Ferguson on 18th February 2023.

Dalton Smith Gamal Yafai and Gary Cully

All the action from the undercard of Leigh Wood’s WBA featherweight title defence against Mauricio Lara, with wins from Dalton Smith, Gary Cully, and more.

Dalton Smith vs Billy Allington – British Super Lightweight Title – UD Smith

Billy Allington had it all to do against undefeated British champion, Dalton Smith, and it will surprise nobody that he fell short. It may, however, come as a slight shock that it went the distance.

Smith was in no rush, made slower by a tricky opponent, and the first three rounds went by without much incident. He properly let his hands go in the fourth, and Allington’s head was snapped back more than once.

Guided by his father, Grant, in the corner, Smith continued with the patience as Allington stayed on the move but began to tire. In the eighth, the co-main finally provided some action when Smith dropped Allington with two big left hooks in a moment of distraction from the challenger coming out of a clinch. He was wobbled again at the end of the ninth.

Smith experienced first hand the downside of gaining rounds – a cut on his left eye may jeopardise his April bout. He got frustrated in the tenth, lifted and threw Allington to the canvas. The referee threatened a point deduction but didn’t go that far. Poor from Smith.

Allington showed true grit with the shots he took. Smith didn’t up the pace as consistently and often as he should. A 14th win for the champion, but a potentially disappointing one considering the cut.

Gary Cully vs Wilfredo Flores – Lightweight – TKO Cully

Gary Cully added to his undefeated record, this time with a second round knockout. In an Ireland versus America battle of the southpaws, the tall and rangy Cully cut Flores on the eyelid via a sharp left hand in the first.

The same left – almost always pitch perfect in the short time it was on show – dropped his opponent in the second before a barrage of punches forced the referee to step in and wave it off. ‘The Diva’ told promoter Eddie Hearn that he was ‘a superstar’ in the aftermath, and he’ll return on the Katie Taylor card in Dublin this May. He wants a bigger name, and fans will too in order to see just how good he is.

Cheavon Clarke vs Israel Duffus – Cruiserweight – UD Clarke

Cheavon Clarke moved to 5-0 as a professional with his first decision victory after a streak of four knockouts. It was the Brit’s first ten rounder, and the first time he’s been past four without a stoppage.

Duffus entered the ring after a seven-fight streak at the lower weight of light heavy. He did well to keep the pace given the fight’s short notice. Clarke was a level above, though. He scored three official knockdowns on the way to the win – although one looked like more of a slip on the part of Duffus. It was a learning fight for the Brit, who would’ve wanted the knockout for his record but will benefit much more from going the distance against an at times tricky Duffus.

In fact, he used every second to search for the stoppage, and almost got it in the very last. A short right hook landed flush, but Duffus made the count as the bell rang – a worthy end for the away fighter who did so well do hang in there throughout. Onto the next for Chev Clarke, who showed promise yet again.

Gamal Yafai vs Diego Alberto Ruiz – Super bantamweight – UD Ruiz

Yafai has boxed just four rounds since his loss to Jason Cunningham in 2021, and his willingness to stand and trade when his reflexes weren’t as sharp as they could be hurt him. In the second, Ruiz landed a shot on the top of Yafai’s head and his legs went from beneath him. He touched down with a glove, made the count and fought the rest of the round. The same shots were landing when he came back out for the third and he touched down again.

Against his corner’s advice, he kept swinging, and the 31-year-old Brit was told by trainer Jamie Moore he was four rounds down before he came out for the second half of the ten-rounder. Ruiz’s switch-hitting was simply causing too many issues for Yafai. Moore told him before the ninth that he would throw in the towel if Yafai continued to stand and welcome the Argentine’s shots. He made it into the tenth before being knocked down for a third time.

Despite the towel being in hand, he heard the final bell. Dominance from Ruiz leads to a punishing third career loss for Yafai. The Argentine gets a first win out of five fights in the UK. That tells you what the result was expected to be beforehand, and there will be some serious decisions to be made by Yafai.