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Harlem Eubank Cruises To Victory And Liam Williams Returns With KO

Written by Kerr Ferguson on 25th November 2022.

Harlem Eubank and Liam Williams

Harlem Eubank headlined the York Hall show, moving his undefeated record from 15 wins to 16 against Tom Farrell via a shutout with just one worrying moment.

The super lightweight contest was Farrell’s first 10 rounder in some time, having been in for a mix of threes and sixes recently. Eubank, at 28, will likely look to step up his competition in 2023.

The beginning of the first round was a feeling out process for both men, but Eubank took control of the centre of the ring quickly and started to throw. Farrell’s southpaw stance didn’t make things any easier for him, but when he was in range, his shots scored.

Eubank – a former Karate champion and successful young footballer – was hit properly for the first time in the second. Farrell’s success was short-lived though, with his opponent landing a big right hand and a short left hook with 30 seconds to go.

Liverpool’s Farrell came out bearing the marks of those shots in the third and was caught quickly. His attempts to dash in from the outside and land his own kept Eubank honest, but didn’t hurt him. That round saw Eubank move down and pay some attention to the body – a strategy now becoming clear.

The fourth saw Farrell catch Eubank flush, giving him the sort of injection of adrenalin and confidence that is a dangerous weapon in a boxing ring. Unfortunately for the underdog, the favourite had recovered by the time the bell rang.

Trusty left hooks set up by strong right hands bloodied Farrell’s nose in the fifth. He came out second best again. The referee warned Eubank in the sixth for punches round the back of the head. The seventh was a scrappy three minutes.

Farrell’s valiant effort started to look futile in the eighth – his face bloody and feet slow. The contest started to become an advert for his punch resistance. Eubank – the clear winner at this stage – didn’t shy away from the action, and, to his credit, neither did Farrell.

Both men saw the final bell. Eubank’s deserved victory was officially scored 99-92, 99-91, and 99-91. The name Eubank is synonymous with British boxing, and that looks to be the case for some time to come. He closed out the evening with a lovely confused analogy in response to the trouble he found himself in the fourth.

“You go swimming, you’re going to get wet”

Elsewhere on the card, Liam Williams bounced back from defeats at the hands of Demtrius Andrade and Chris Eubank Jr with a punishing performance against Nizar Trimech.

Prior to the fight, Williams told Boxing Social that he would seriously consider retirement should he not come out on top tonight. Thankfully for him, the 9-3 Trimech – now 9-4 – was game but levels beneath the man from Clydach.

It didn’t take long for Williams to sense that a knockout was on the cards, and in the first round he searched for it a little too early – catching a few strays that he really didn’t need to. Still, he had his opponent down.

He began the second with a more measured effort, and it paid off immediately. Williams set up the final shot with a left to the body. A straight right had Trimech out on his feet, and a quick left hook finished the contest, dropping the Frenchman heavily.

A round 2 knockout is the kind of confidence boost that will do the Welshman good – and he knows it better than anybody.

“It was bang on. It was just what I needed to be honest with you. It wasn’t a world beater in front of me tonight, but he was a decent opponent. I’ve seen him give some good names good fights.”

“I needed that little bit of a confidence boost as well. The two losses against Demetrius Andrade and obviously Eubank – it was a bit of a kick in the nuts if I’m being honest with you, so I needed that to lift me back up. I’m ready to push on and fight anybody now.”

He moves forward to pursue another shot at a middleweight belt.

The fight marked a link up with former trainer, Gary Lockett. It was nice to see the pair back together again, and to know that Williams isn’t quite done with the sport yet. He signed off the broadcast by wishing happy birthday to Lockett. The pair have earned whatever celebration is to come.