London, UK – The Copper Box Arena in London played host to a night of professional boxing, presented by Matchroom Boxing and broadcast live on DAZN. The main event saw British and Commonwealth middleweight champion George Liddard successfully defend his titles against former European champion Tyler Denny, in a bout that went the full 12-round distance. Adding a significant regional accolade to his collection, Liddard also claimed the vacant IBF Intercontinental middleweight title, with all three judges scoring the contest decisively in his favor: 116-112. The report was originally published by sportsamo.com.
Liddard, entering the ring with an undefeated record of 14 wins (8 KOs), demonstrated why he is considered one of Britain’s rising middleweight talents. From the opening bell, he established his dominance, landing a powerful right hand in the first round that visibly shook Denny. He continued this aggressive approach into the second, dictating the pace and landing cleaner, more impactful shots. While Denny, a seasoned professional with a record of 21 wins (1 KO) and 3 draws, was cautioned for a clash of heads early on, he began to find his rhythm as the fight progressed.
As the bout moved into the middle rounds, Denny, known for his grit and ability to fight on the inside, employed a strategy of close-range work and holding to disrupt Liddard’s rhythm. This tactic proved effective, allowing Denny periods of success and making the rounds increasingly competitive. Despite Denny’s efforts to stifle Liddard’s offense, the champion continued to land the more significant and visible punches, showcasing a consistent attack to the body that clearly took its toll.
The eighth round saw a pivotal moment when Liddard landed a sharp right to the body that clearly affected Denny. However, Denny responded with one of his own effective punches later in the round, highlighting his resilience. The championship rounds brought increased exchanges, with both fighters showing the effects of a grueling contest. Liddard sported a bloodied nose and a minor cut between his eyes by the eleventh round, a testament to the back-and-forth nature of the fight. The final round was a closely contested affair, with both men digging deep and landing their shots, leaving the judges with a difficult decision to make. Ultimately, Liddard’s superior ring generalship and consistent offensive output earned him the unanimous decision and the coveted IBF Intercontinental strap. This victory solidifies Liddard’s position in the middleweight division and demonstrates his ability to go the distance against tough opposition.
In the evening’s co-feature bout, English lightweight champion Giorgio Visioli continued his unbeaten streak, extending his record to 11 wins (6 KOs) with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Levi Giles (17-3-1, 4 KOs) over 10 rounds. The scorecards reflected Visioli’s control of the fight: 99-90, 100-89, and 99-90. Visioli showcased his boxing prowess, utilizing a potent jab and relentless body work to keep Giles at bay. Giles, while showing determination, struggled to penetrate Visioli’s high guard and land cleanly. A significant moment came in the fifth round when Visioli scored a knockdown, though Giles bravely beat the count and finished the round. A brief pause in the final round occurred due to a low blow from Giles, after which Visioli resumed his effective body attack to close out the fight emphatically.
The middleweight division also saw Jimmy Sains (12-0, 10 KOs) retain his English title in a closely contested majority decision against Derrick Osaze (13-4, 3 KOs). The judges’ scores were 95-95, 97-93, and 96-94, indicating the tight nature of the bout. Osaze started strongly, outworking Sains in the opening two rounds. However, Sains found his range late in the third, landing a powerful right hand that had Osaze in trouble at the bell. The fight remained a tactical battle, with Osaze maintaining a higher volume of punches in several rounds, while Sains consistently landed the more impactful shots. Both fighters had their moments in the latter stages, including a strong ninth-round performance from Sains and a cut sustained by Osaze over his left eye in the final round. Ultimately, Sains’s cleaner, harder punches secured him the victory.
In another middleweight contest, Emmanuel Buttigieg (12-0, 4 KOs) delivered a powerful performance, stopping Jake Goodwin (8-3-1, 1 KO) at 2:04 of the ninth round in their scheduled 10-round bout. Goodwin showed early promise with his activity, while Buttigieg countered with heavier blows. Buttigieg, despite being penalized twice for losing his mouthpiece, maintained his composure and eventually overwhelmed Goodwin in the ninth round, securing the stoppage with a series of punishing punches.
In super middleweight action, Taylor Bevan (8-0, 8 KOs) continued his perfect knockout record, stopping Martin Ezequiel Bulacio (15-11, 10 KOs) at 2:15 of the second round in their scheduled eight-round bout. Bevan’s power was on full display as he extended his KO streak.
At featherweight, Adam Maca (5-0, 5 KOs) remained undefeated with a fourth-round stoppage of Lydon Chircop (8-3, 4 KOs), whose corner wisely retired him.
Rounding out the evening’s action, Connor Mitchell (2-0, 1 KO) secured a dominant four-round unanimous decision victory over Yuni Zanoli (8-19-1, 4 KOs), with the referee scoring it 40-36. Similarly, Louie Ward (1-0) made a successful professional debut, also winning by a 40-36 score over Jahfieus Faure (4-24-4) in their four-round bout.
