By Cliff Rold

24-year old Welterweight John O’Donnell (24-1, 11 KO) of Shepherds Bush, London, made a step up in competition Friday night at the Arena in Liverpool, winning over twelve rounds versus 33-year old veteran Terrance Cauthen (35-7, 9 KO) of Trenton, New Jersey.  It was O’Donell’s ninth straight win since a surprising stoppage loss to Christian Solano in 2007.  Cauthen, a 1995 U.S. Amateur champion and 1996 Olympian, loses for the first time in three 2010 starts.

O’Donnell came in spot on the Welterweight limit at 147 lbs., Cauthen slightly over at 147 ¼.  The referee and sold judge for the contest was Ken Curtis.

O’Donell, on a tall for the class 5’11 frame, started early behind his southpaw right jab in walking Cauthen down.  Mixing in lead right hooks and short rights and lefts to the body in close, O’Donnell kept Cauthen on the back foot.  Traction was an issue for Cauthen in the early going, experiencing a couple of slips to the floor in the first third of the fight.  The crowd cheered at the thought of a knockdown both times but Curtis correctly, and quickly, waved the moments off.   

Well behind in the fight, Cauthen started to have more success late.  Never a big puncher, Cauthen relied on a southpaw accurate right jab and sneaky left hooks to lightly welt the right eye of O’Donnell.  Cauthen landed some snapping hooks in round ten to keep his man honest while absorbing the best of O’Donnell’s body work.

O’Donnell resumed dominating in round eleven, slipping Cauthen’s hooks nicely while doubling up on lefts to the head and body.  Cauthen stayed elusive enough to force the fight a step close to the distance, obviously important after being stopped in two of his previous six.

O’Donnell was first to mid-ring as the men touched gloves for the twelfth and final frame, quickly into a clinch as Cauthen looked to slow any early charge.  O’Donnell blocked a pair or right hooks and dug to the ribs.  Cauthen stayed in a punch and clinch attack, O’Donnell largely going along with only token hooks in the clinches.  O’Donnell landed a nice, closing left hand in the waning seconds en route to a scored victory of 118-112.

O’Donnell is tentatively scheduled for a British Welterweight title bout with 

In the televised opener, 22-year old Manchester Heavyweight Tyson Fury (12-0, 9 KO), 263, of Wilmslow, Cheshire, United Kingdom, continued his march towards contention with a workmanlike eight round unanimous decision over 30-year old Rich Power (12-1, 9 KO), 221 ½, of Keego Harbor, Michigan.  It was the first of Fury’s three starts thus far in 2010 to go the route.   The 6’7 behemoth was active throughout, pounding the smaller Power with right hands as referee Jeff Hinds, the sole arbiter, scored the contest 80-72 in his favor.  Fury remains a work in progress.