Smith Drops Eubank Twice and Wins by TKO in Four, Riakporhe TKOs Glowacki in Four
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Manchester, UK (January 21st, 2023)– Fighting carefully, cautiously and with reserve for the first three rounds, Liam Smith suddenly opened up with power, dropping overhyped and confused Chris Eubank Jr. twice, and scored an upset shocking fourth round stoppage in the DAZN Sky Sports Manchester Arena main event on Saturday, January 21, 2023.
The odds had Eubank, and the bookies got taken to the cleaners. For Eubank you would have to bet 280 dollars to win 1000 dollars. If you bet 100 dollars on Smith, you doubled it at 200 dollars. Undoubtedly the stoppage was worth more for those who favored Smith. The over/under was 10.5 (-330/-235)
Smith, 33-3-1 with 20 knockouts, Liverpool, Merseyside, United Kingdom, might have wont he first round, and the second round looked even. The third round appeared to belong to Eubank, who opened open with combinations for the first time near the end of the third round to clearly win it. Eubank Jr., 32-3 with 23 knockouts, Brighton, Sussex, United Kingdom, held his left hand low the entire fight Roy Jones Jr. style, pawing at smith, and getting through his upraised guard with some jabs on occasion.
Smith, who had lost his critical main event bouts with Canelo Alvarez, Jaime Munguia, and Magomed Kurbanov, fought this crossroads bout with an upraised guard, not giving Eubank any kind of a chance to land practically anything. Eubank could be argued to have won the first three rounds on aggression, as Smith remained on defensive guard for most of the three rounds, save trying an occasional counter here and there, with nothing effective landing.
Smith appeared to be evaluating what Eubank actually had, Carlos Monzon style. In the fourth round, with Eubank in a corner, Smith suddenly opened up and attacked, and Eubank suddenly went down. Eubank got up too fast, and appeared to be on queer street. Eubank seemed unable to hear the referee’s instructions to come forward. Smith attacked again, this time to the body of Eubank, and the defenseless Eubank, who had lost his legs and his equilibrium, pitched forward to the canvas into the ropes, down and out of it. Eubank struggled to his feet and staggered around the ring, still on apparent queer street, forcing referee Victor Loughlin to stop it at 1:09 of the fourth round. Eubank, if he had survived, was looking at a 10-7 round for Smith. Eubank would never have made it for round five even if he had survived, and got exposed as a weak chinned mediocre fighter.
In the welterweight regional titular preliminary bout to the main event, Ekow Essuman, 19-0 with seven knockouts, Nottingham, United Kingdom, by way of Botswana, scored a 12 round majority decision over Chris ‘2Slick’ Kongo, 14-2 with seven knockouts, Bermondsey, London, United Kingdom, in a close bout Real Combat Media predicted could end in a close majority decision in 12. It did. Essan won the tBBB of C, Commonwealth Boxing Council, World Boxing Council International Silver, and retained the International Boxing Federation European belt.
Mancester Arena Undercard Results
Joseph Parker Win 10 Jack Massey, Heavyweights
After KO loss to Joy Joyce in September 2022, former WBO World heavyweight champion Parker wins in impressive fashion but gets taken the distance by 20-3 UK cruiserweight Massey, who had a point deducted in the eighth round by referee Darren Sarginson.
Fazer Clarke Win Referee’s Technical Decision 4 Kevin Nicolas Espindola, Heavyweights
5-0 British heavyweight prospect Clarke stops Argentinian Espindola after four rounds.
Richard Riakporhe TKO 4 Krzysztof Glowacki, Cruiserweights
16-0 rising British cruiserweight Riakporhe stops faded former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Glowacki, who, at age 36, showed nothing. First nontitle bout loss for Glowacki.
Scott Forrest Win 6 Amine Boucetta, Cruiserweights
Frankie Stringer Win 4 Cristian Narvaez, Lightweights
Matty Harris Win TKO 1 Jiri Surmaj, Heavyweights (1:11)
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