SHEFFIELD, England – Josh Padley picked up a controversial win over Reece Bellotti, via 10-round points decision, in his junior lightweight debut at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
Padley, 17-1 (5 KOs), was heavily favoured by many coming into the contest after his success at junior welterweight against Mark Chamberlain and impressing in his loss to Shakur Stevenson on short notice, all whilst working full-time as an electrician. Now after ditching the day job and giving the sport his full attention, Padley was fancied to handle experienced Bellotti in his first contest at a new weight of 130lbs.
Bellotti, 34, had been vocal this week on how although he was coming off a stoppage defeat to Ryan Garner in July, there was still life in the old dog yet. He had no respect for the up-and-coming Padley and targeted his body throughout, visibly hurting him on multiple occasions. Many onlookers felt London’s Bellotti had done enough to defeat the home favorite, and were shocked, like Bellotti, to see the victory awarded wide and unanimously in favour of the Yorkshireman by scores of 99-92 and 97-93 twice.
The opener was a cagey affair, with Bellotti sinking in a body shot early before backing away from the 29-year-old Padley. There was again little in the second with Padley using his movement to offset Bellotti, who looked to unload as Padley backed away to the ropes, but landing little. Bellotti landed a stiff jab in the third, but Padley answered back with a solid right that clipped the chin of the Londoner. Padley upped the pace in the fourth, connecting with two jabs followed by a right to the body that brought a cheer from his fans who had travelled a few short miles from Doncaster.
Bellotti continued to march forwards and sunk in a left hand to the body that brought a wince from Padley – who quickly tied his opponent up. Bellotti sensed a weakness in Padley downstairs and continued to target it in the fifth, again sinking in a left hand as the round came to a close. Bellotti’s eyes seemed to light up every time he found a home for left hand to the midsection. The body shots were clearly bothering Padley who had boiled down to 130lbs for the first time in his professional career.
Padley landed the shot of the fight in the sixth when Bellotti steamed forwards to land another heavy left to his ribs. Padley sensed Bellotti’s plan, pivoted around him as he came rushing in, and was able to tag the Londoner who was still wondering where Padley had disappeared to. Padley repeated the trick early in the seventh and now seemed more comfortable with dealing with the oncoming Bellotti. Padley’s new tricks didn’t deter the steely-eyed veteran, who had seen it all before, as he continued to plant in his body shots and landed a stiff jab to Padley’s face in the eighth.
Padley was still landing sharp shots, but he just couldn’t keep Bellotti off who marched forwards and thudded his left hand home, busting Padley’s nose. Bellotti seemed to finally break Padley’s spirit at the end of the ninth as he thumbed in yet another left hand to the midsection, forcing Padley to keel over. Another body shot landed from Bellotti, but just as he was about to finish the job, the bell saved Padley. The favorite seemed to sense that he was down on the cards and pushed forwards in an attempt to sway the judges’ decision in his favour. He clipped Bellotti as he came in with a right hand, but again Bellotti had an answer as he piled on the pressure. The pair finished the final session swinging scrappily in the center of the ring, in a hope to nick the round.
Both men awaited the judges’ verdict at the sound of the final bell, with Bellotti looking the more confident. After scores of 99-92 and 97-93 twice were read out, Bellotti seemed even more certain that he would be awarded the victory, but as Padley’s name was read out a look of disgust was written across his face. Bellotti, who falls to 20-7 (15 KOs) with the loss, quickly exited the ring, while Padley kept his celebrations to a minimum, perhaps knowing he’d snatched a lucky win.
Before, Hamza Uddin looked mightily impressive in his fifth-round stoppage of Paul Roberts for the English flyweight title. Uddin, now 6-0 (3 KOs) was in with a tough customer in Roberts in his first 10-round contest, but put in perhaps his best showing yet. Uddin started by whipping in his shot from distance and taunting Roberts every time he made the 29-year-old miss.
Early in the fifth, Uddin fired in a left hand to the body that sank Roberts to his knees. He bravely returned to his feet at the count of eight, but was sat down again by the same shot moments later. Roberts again bravely climbed up to continue but after another onslaught to the body from Uddin he sunk to the canvas for the third and final time with the referee Michael Alexander waving off the action at 2:14 of Round 4, and saving the now 7-7-2 (2 KOs) Roberts for another day.
Junior welterweight Ibraheem Sulaimaan pitched a shutout victory in the first real step up of his professional career. Sulaimaan faced Romania’s James Chereji, 22-7 (10 KOs), over eight rounds and impressed, Sulaimaan, 9-0 (4 KOs), kept his opponent at bay with his razor sharp jab and never looked like being troubled by the Romanian. The referee Steve Gray scored the contest 80-72 in favour of the 24-year-old Sulaimaan.
Earlier, the light heavyweight Conner Tudsbury picked up a dominant victory over the experienced Frenchman Khalid Graidia,13-16-5 (4 KOs). Tudsbury was boxing for the first time in seven months after suffering a hand injury, but wasted little time and took the fight straight to the 42-year-old Graidia.
Tudsbury hurt the Frenchman several times throughout the contest, but the finish in the fourth round was rather strange. The 25-year-old unloaded on Graidia as he lay on the ropes, and then after a prolonged delay Graidia retreated to his corner, with referee Michael Alexander waving the contest off at 0:58 of Round 4. It was unclear if the Graidia retreated because of a delayed response to a body shot, or an injury. Either way Tudsbury won’t care, and is now 3-0 (2 KOs) with the win.
The first of Dave Allen’s proteges featuring on the card was lightweight Joe Howarth, who was pitted against the experienced 9-60-1 (1 KO) Karl Sampson. Haworth used his sharp jab, and never seemed to get out of first gear during the contest. Howarth was awarded the bout by a score of 60-54 by referee Michael Alexander and rose to 14-1 (4 KOs) with the victory.
Allen’s other pupil, junior welterweight Joe Hayden, impressed with a shutout victory over Wales’ Angelo Dragone, 10-9 (1 KO). Hayden was given a tough few opening rounds by the game Dragone, but dropped the Welshman in the fourth with a sharp southpaw left hand. Although Dragone gave a good go of it, he was not awarded with anything on the scorecards, with Steve Gray scoring the contest 60-53 in favour of the 20-0 (2 KOs) Hayden.
