Michael Conlan Stops Karim Guerfi in First in SSE Arena Belfast Main Event
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Belfast, Ireland (December 11th, 2022)– Michael ‘Mick’ Conlan, 18-1 with nine knockouts, Belfast, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, the former WBA interim World Featherweight champion, had only this to say to the Belfast crowd “Merry Christmas thank you for coming. I was hurting him from the start. It’s a nice merry Christmas present to myself. Thank G-d for a first-round stoppage just before Christmas. Merry Christmas everybody!”
In the main event of a seven-bout FITE TV card at SSE Arena, Belfast, Ireland, on Saturday, December 11, 2022, Conlan cut off the ring and rapidly dropped Karim Guerfi, 31-7 with nine knockouts, Manosque, France, former EBU European Bantamweight and Featherweight champion and two-time world title challenger, along the ropes where he had him trapped, with an 18 punch body punch combination. Guerfi arose but legs were immediately and completely gone. Referee Steve Gray stopped the bout as Guerfi got up. Vicious body shots did the damage.
In March 2021, Guerfi was stopped by Lee McGregor in a European Bantamweight title fight in Bolton at 2:43 of the first round. In March 2018, Guerfi was knocked out in the fourth round of an IBO World Bantamweight title bout by Michael Damarinas. The outcome is not a surprise, as the aging Guerfi was the perfect Belfast Conlan opponent. Will this win lead to a rematch between Conlan and WBA World Featherweight champion Leigh Wood, who has not defended his title since stopping Conlan in March 2022? That is the question.
The SSE Odyssey Arena Undercard Results, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Saturday, December 11, 2022
Sean McComb 10 Zsolt Osadan, Super Lightweights
McComb wins vacant WBO European Super Lightweight title
In a southpaw war, the taller 15-1 McComb and shorter undefeated Slovakian Osadan went the distance. McComb controlled the action by throwing landed right hands while moving out of range with consistent footwork. Osadan struggled to get inside to McComb to create counter attempts. Osodan landed punches occasionally. Scoring 100-90 times 3. McComb fought the majority of the bout with a broken hand, and will need recovery time.
Padraig McCrory Win 8 Dmytro Fedas, Light Heavyweights
16-0 Belfast light heavyweight prospect Padraig ‘The Hammer’ McCrory , despite winning every round, got ‘hammered’ from a legitimate punch and got taken on a trouble spot sixth round trip to hell by unbeaten unknown shorter rough tough Ukrainian Fedas, who cut his left eye wide open. 80-72 scorecard for McCrory did not define Fedas who was in the house.
Kurt Walker Win 6 Yader Cardoza, Featherweights
Tall featherweight prospect Walker, now 5-0, confused 26-21-1 Madrid veteran Cardoza, outboxing him with superior footwork and switching from orthodox and southpaw stances. Walker dropped Cardoza with a straight left in round four, but referee Eamon McGill did not consider it a knockdown. Walker thoroughly outboxed Cardoza from start, who survived but did not win a round. Cardoza did land a few punches in round two, but beyond that, missed with most attempts. Scoring: referee Eamon McGill 60-54 for Walker.
Feargus Quinn TKO 5 Graham McCormack (0:36), Middleweights
Quinn wins Boxing Union of Ireland BUI Celtic Middleweight title
5-0 southpaw Feargus ‘The Mighty Quinn’ came forward with pressure with a high work rate and controlled the action throughout with crisp combinations to head and body, bloodying McCormack, 8-2, until his corner finally threw in the towel in this lopsided bout.
Kieran Molloy TKO 2 Alexander Zeledon, Welterweights
With an accurate overhand right hand lead, 4-0 Belfast prospect Molloy, a David Avanesyan sparring partner, stopped the 6-40-4 Nicaraguan trial horse Zeledon with a battered right eye and injured ribs. Corner stoppage. Zeledon appeared completely done.
Conor Quinn Win 6 Stephen Jackson, Flyweights
4-0-1 Belfast flyweight prospect Quinn goes to a decision for first time in his career, gets in six rounds of work to defeat 1-29-1 Manchester British journeyman Jackson. Professional loser Jackson has lost 29 bouts in a row. Scoring: 60-54, 60-54, 60-54 shutout for Quinn.
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