WBO No.1 super-middleweight contender Zach Parker blew away capable American Vaughn Alexander in just two rounds at the Copper Box Arena in Hackney on Friday night.
Derby switch-hitter Parker (20-0, 14 KOs) hurt Alexander with a cuffing right hand in the second that seemed to affect the visitor’s equilibrium. The St. Louis, Missouri fighter was dropped by a left hook soon afterwards. Alexander then lost his balance and fell again, but no knockdown was ruled before a right hand send him down legitimately for a second time.
Alexander was covering up, but not firing back when the contest was waved off by referee Marcus McDonnell with Parker teeing off with gusto. On paper, it was a very good result for Parker; Alexander (15-5, 9 KOs) had mixed in respected company, having taken Money Powell IV’s unbeaten record, and gone the distance with the bestial Bektemir Melikuziev and 160lbs contender Zhanibek Alimkhanuly.
British and Commonwealth 122lbs champion Brad Foster (14-0-2, 5 KOs) kept ticking over with a solid 10 rounds against sturdy Spanish champion Alvaro Rodriguez (10-4-1, 1 KO and 1 NC). All three scores were 100-90.
Despite a slight dip in the middle rounds, the tenacious Foster, from Lichfield, had the better of most exchanges and rocked the visitor from Madrid with a huge left hook in the last round, but Rodriguez showed sound recuperative powers to last the course.
Highly-rated Maidstone bantam Dennis McCann (9-0, 5 KOs) won as he pleased against Mexican visitor Luis Moreno (9-2, 6 KOs) in an eight-round canter. Southpaw McCann was far too slick and scored an official knockdown in the last when Moreno was caught off-balance after a sweeping right hook. Referee Howard Foster scored 80-71.
In a mismatch, former ABA champion David Adeleye (5-0, 5 KOs) didn’t learn too much blowing out Dudley debutant and late-sub Dave Preston (0-1, 0 KOs) with a left hook to the body in the opening round. But Adeleye appears to be going places and is already confidently calling out former British title challenger Nathan Gorman.
Limerick southpaw Edward Donovan (1-0, 0 KOs), brother of the touted Paddy and an outstanding amateur in his own right, winning European Junior gold, made his pro debut with a straightforward points win over debutant Matthew King (0-1, 0 KOs), scoring a knockdown in the process. Referee Bob Williams scored 40-35 in the welterweight bout.
In a brisk, give-and-take encounter, Midlander Danny Ball (10-0-1, 4 KOs) pipped East Londoner Sam Gilley (11-1, 5 KOs) on the cards with the WBC International Silver 147lbs title at stake. Scores were 96-94 (twice) and 97-94 in a competitive battle of unbeatens.
After the disappointment of British 140lbs champion Akeem Ennis Brown’s late withdrawal from their title fight, Sam Maxwell (15-0, 11 KOs) was given a solid eight-round workout by the ever-resolute Ben Fields (10-10-2, 0 KOs). Referee Bob Williams scored 79-73 with the uncompromising Fields deducted a point for holding in the penultimate round, but Maxwell’s class told.
Meanwhile, Limerick middle Jason Harty (1-0, 0 KO), another former European Junior gold medallist, made his pro debut outscoring Walsall’s Kearon Thomas (1-11-1, 1 KO) over four rounds.
Main image: Queensberry Promotions.