GLASGOW, Scotland – Sunderland junior welterweight Luke McCormack, 4-0 (3 KOs) – who weighed 143lbs at Friday’s weigh-in – started bossing center ring from the outset against Panamanian Samir Cuentas, 4-6, at the Hydro.
McCormack, a decorated former amateur, is a fine prospect, technically proficient and clearly capable in attack and defense. He attempted plenty in the opener, doubling his jab, feinting, leading with the right hand, and trying to expose the visitor, although he was warned for a shot behind the head in the second. The Ben Davison-trained McCormack was clearly levels above Cuentas, but the Panamanian's unconventional style led to a rather scrappy contest until McCormack caught Cuentas pulling out and dropped him with a left hook.
The referee, Darren Maxwell, picked up the count and called it off, much to Cuentas’ disapproval as he complained bitterly in his own corner. The time of the stoppage was 2.51 of round two.
Stirling’s Lee Welsh, a 5-0 (2 KO) junior welterweight, took just two minutes and 38 seconds to defeat the Glasgow-based southpaw Tony Morton, who is 1-18 and was stopped for the sixth time – the fifth time inside two rounds.
Morton, who was dropped twice, started off with ambition and landed shots with both hands but the well-supported Welsh was not deterred, flooring Morton for a count, crashing in another right hand, dropping Morton again with a long right to the body and, with Morton shipping shots in a neutral corner – including a big right hook – the fight was stopped as Morton wilted.
Perth’s Like Bibby Reese Lynch got the Glasgow show underway with a four-round win over the Peru’s Caesar Ignacio Paredes, 18-19-1 (5 KOs).
Bibby, with Billy Nelson in his corner, hurt his opponent to the body in the first and twice scored with a lead right hook in the fourth on his way to a 40-36 decision victory for sole arbiter and former pro Kevin McIntyre.