Jay Harris catapulted himself back towards world title contention with experience overcoming youth in an impressive showing against the equally brave and capable Connor Butler at the Liverpool Olympia, adding the Commonwealth and European flyweight crowns to his British title.
Harris (20-3, 11 KOs) represented a huge step-up for Butler, who has impressed so far in his career under the guidance of his coach, Derry Mathews. Despite defeat, Butler (11-0-1, 1KO) demonstrated that he belonged in the ring alongside a fighter of Harris’s caliber.
Gary Lockett-trained Harris, a former world title challenger in 2020, has rebuilt following back-to-back defeats in 2021 and, now aged 33, admitted this was his last run. Had he lost, Harris would have called it a day.
“I didn’t expect Connor to fight like he did,” Harris explained post-fight, to DAZN. “I had expected Connor to keep on the outside and on the back foot, but he decided to meet me head on, which worked in my favor. I am happy to have got my titles back and feel I can push on now as this is my last run in the sport. I am soon turning 34-years-old, and I want to settle down with the family and enjoy a normal life.”
Butler and Harris went to work in the opening round, with a limited feeling-out process and they were exchanging shots throughout the session.
Butler was content to move in and out and use his feet when landing his shots, but Harris dominated the second, stalking Butler and targeting the body to slow Butler's movement. Harris was able to march forward and establish his jab and right hand, tagging Buttler heavily on the ropes with regularity.
Butler regained his footing in the fight and threw shots with Harris on multiple occasions and he was able to land some crisp combinations on the Welshman. However, Harris walked through what came his way and landed some heavy combinations of his own at the halfway point of the round, which rocked Butler.
The fourth was a tight, back-and-forth affair with both fighters having their successes with combinations and no sign of pace slowing. In the fifth, Harris landed some hurtful hooks to the body; however, Butler was able to counter with some right hands, and Harris was guilty of leaving his hand on the line, giving a static target to the Liverpudlian.
In the sixth, Harris removed that opportunity by slipping and moving as he threw his punches and he accelerated through the gears as Butler’s defenses deserted him.
The pace slowed in the seventh. Harris found a home for two right uppercuts, which forced Butler to take a step back onto the ropes and resulted in Harris moving back onto the front foot and working away on the tiring Butler, whose feet were slowing and who was losing zip from his punches. Harris boxed at close quarters and ripped in a five-punch combination to Butler's body in the closing 30 seconds of the round.
Harris continued the eighth in the same fashion, marching forward and fighting up close as Butler struggled to keep the Welshman at bay and at a distance. However, the highlight of the round came from Butler as he landed a crisp, fast-flowing, three-punch combination following an exchange on the inside in the final minute.
Nine saw a repeat of the previous round, but in the tenth, Butler launched into the action with an eye-catching long right hand on Harris to commence proceedings. Butler, seemingly aware of the position he found himself in, traded with Harris throughout the round. However, the variation of punches and experience Harris possessed was telling and he was able to maneuver Butler around the ring for his own benefit.
A frantic 11th saw Butler land the more telling and eye-catching shots that flowed into the 12th as both went to the trenches and exchanged hard, telling combinations, sending the Liverpool Olympia into raptures upon the sound of the final bell.
It was an entertaining fight and both fighters deserved credit but Harris, with his continuous come-forward efforts and more telling shots, got the decision on the scorecards. All three scores were in his favor, with two cards of 116-112 and another of 116-113.
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