Dalton Smith Obliterates Maxwell To Lead Wins By Price, Bostan, and Sylvester
Fighting through blood, Dalton Smith (15-0, 11 KOs) took charge and took out a game Sam Maxwell (17-2, 11 KOs) in seven rounds at the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England. Smith and Maxwell are essentially counterpunchers. They spent the early rounds trying to use feints to create openings. Smith had more success, using his faster hands to land with counter-right hands and left hooks to the head.
But early in the fifth, a clash of heads resulted in a nasty gash over Smith’s left eye. He was also cut over his left eye at the beginning of the sixth. However, the taste of his blood resulted in Smith raising his level. With a minute to go in the sixth, a counter-right uppercut buckled the knees of Maxwell. At the halfway mark of the seventh, an overhand right-hand from Smith sent Maxwell crumbling to the canvas, where he would not get up.
The finishing shot will be a Knockout of the Year candidate. Following the win, Smith said he would like his next fight to be for the European junior welterweight title.
HOPEY PRICE BREAKS DOWN JAMES BEECH JR
While it was far from the most exciting of performances, Hopey Price (11-0, 4 KOs) took care of business en route to a seventh-round stoppage over James Beech Jr (15-5, 2 KOs). Price is a tall, rangy southpaw who used his length and his jab to keep Beech Jr on the outside.
Taking his time in the early rounds, Price gradually stepped on the gas and set his feet to land power shots. Beech was far too slow and didn’t have the tools to put up a fair fight and be competitive. As the rounds progressed, Beech became a punching bag, and Price did whatever he pleased. At the end of the seventh round, the corner of Beech Jr had seen enough and didn’t let their fighter go out for the eighth round. Ultimately, Price was too sharp, too accurate, and far too good in what turned out to be a wash.
JUNAID BOSTAN OUTCLASSES RYAN AMOS
In what was the biggest test of his young career, Junaid Bostan (6-0, 5 KOs) passed with flying colors during a unanimous decision (79-73) over Ryan Amos (10-1-1, 1 KOs) in an eight-round junior welterweight contest.
Bostan used his height, reach, and quickness to set the tone and pile up the points in the early rounds. Amos tried to apply pressure. But he is slow-footed and had no success cutting off the ring. This allowed Bostan to fight at a comfortable pace.
By the middle rounds, the action became repetitive, with Bostan using his speed and skills to keep Amos on the outside and peck away with shots to the head and breadbasket. Amos has created a lot of buzz in British boxing circles and is someone to keep an eye on moving forward.
LEWIS SYLVESTER RALLIES TO PULL OUT A TOUGH WIN OVER ADAM COPE
In a close and competitive battle, Lewis Sylvester (12-0, 3 KOs) defeated previously unbeaten Adam Cope (7-1, 1 KOs) by unanimous decision (96-94 x 2, 95-94) to win the vacant British lightweight title.
Sylvester is a boxer. He used his speed and smooth movement to gain an early points lead. In the middle rounds, Cope began to step up his work rage and was more effective at cutting off the ring to land punches to the head and body.
But the final three rounds saw Sylvester rally and gather his resources. Digging deep, he stood in the pocket and connected with impressive combinations on his slower opponent. The strong finish by Sylvester during the last two rounds proved to be the difference.
Tags: Dalton Smith, Sam Maxwell, Junior Welterweight, Hopey Price, James Beech Jr, Featherweight, Lewis Sylvester, Adam Cope, Lightweight, Junaid Boston, Ryan Amos, Matchroom
