British welterweight champion Conah Walker scored a last gasp knockout win over Pat McCormack in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Although the famous Lonsdale was not sanctioned for the encounter, there was much more on the line, as Walker picked up two international titles with the WBA and IBF that will secure him a Top 15 ranking with both governing bodies. Walker, now 17-3-1 (8 KOs), came into the contest a massive underdog against the Olympic silver medalist McCormack, but made a mockery of the odds, and knocked his opponent through the ropes in the 12th, with McCormack unable to climb back to his feet. Contrary to commentary by broadcaster DAZN, Walker was up on two of the judges’ scorecards at the time of the stoppage that occurred at 2:15 of Round 12.
The bout was hard to score in the early exchanges, as Walker put his foot on the gas, with McCormack electing to pick his shots from the outside. McCormack, 30, started to impress in the third and fourth rounds, picking Walker off as he was coming in. Walker, also 30, never panicked, however, and although he was losing the sessions, he was making McCormack work for them. Walker first made a dent in McCormack midway through the fifth, when he planted a left hand to McCormack’s midsection that forced him to retreat to the ropes. Walker pushed forwards, targeting the body, and again hurt McCormack downstairs before the round’s close.
McCormack returned to his boxing in the sixth, and had success, but Walker was relentless, and hammered away as McCormack backed away to the ropes. The contest started to turn back in McCormack’s favour in the eighth, with him handling Walker’s intensity a little better. McCormack flicked his jab into the face of Walker in the ninth, and clipped Walker with a well timed right uppercut as he came marching in. Walker responded well in the next session and bullied McCormack around the edges of the ring. McCormack just couldn’t get off the ropes, and was pushed from pillar to post with Walker’s relentless work. Walker again hurt McCormack to the body, and it seemed that the inexperienced pro may be starting to fall apart.
Walker was full of confidence and waved on McCormack as the championship rounds began, again pressing forwards, and pushing him back to the ropes. The 11th was tough for McCormack, who looked as though he was running on fumes from Walker’s relentless assaults. In the 12th Walker hurt McCormack badly, a shot downstairs was followed up with a right hand to the head, and McCormack retreated to his corner. Walker poured on the pressure, and after a flurry of shots, McCormack collapsed through the ropes. McCormack helplessly clambered himself back into the ring but lay on his knees, lookingly helplessly at his coach Ben Davison. The referee deemed McCormack in no fit state to continue and waved the contest off. Walker erupted after securing the win of his life, and surely a life changing opportunity next. McCormack fell to 8-1 (6 KOs), with the first defeat of his career.
