Sam Eggington Shines, Plus Other Lessons Learned from Birmingham Card
British boxers have found themselves involved in some serious battles over the past week.
First, Lee Selby was made to work hard to retain his IBF featherweight title on American soil. The Welshman defeated former three-weight world champion Fernando Montiel on points in Arizona on Wednesday.
His compatriot Nathan Cleverly then got involved in a real contender for Fight of the Year against Andrzej Fonfara in Chicago, Illinois.
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The two light heavyweights combined to throw 2,524 punches during 12 absorbing rounds on Friday.
Fonfara was awarded the win on all three scorecards, but Cleverly earned plenty of praise for his performance in defeat. He ended up with a broken nose but proved he still has the heart for the fight.
On Saturday, Matchroom Boxing's card in Birmingham, England, produced further fireworks in the ring, albeit at domestic level.
Bleacher Report has take a reflective glance back at the action in the Midlands, starting with a war in the main event.
Eggington Points the Way
Welterweight Sam Eggington had to deal with a change of opponent and an early knockdown in defending his British and Commonwealth titles.
The Savage has always been a willing fighter. However, over the past 18 months, he has refined and developed his skills, leading to his rise in the rankings.
On Saturday, Eggington had the chance to top the bill at the Barclaycard Arena.
Frankie Gavin was originally due to be his opponent in a battle of two Birmingham boxers, but a foot injury forced the challenger to pull out.
Dale Evans was drafted in to fill the void, and the Welshman threatened to upset the odds with a right hand in the second round that dropped the champion to the canvas.
Eggington, though, showed great spirit to rise from the floor, weather the ensuing storm and then take control of the contest.
He seemed to be on the brink of producing a stoppage at times, but Evans came through some tough moments, particularly in the 11th round, to hear the final bell. The late replacement earned his cheque.
So, where does Eggington go next? At 5′11″, he has the height to cause problems in the division. With his love of a scrap and ability to deliver power with one shot, he is easy to promote.
The problem may be finding opponents at the next level up willing to take a risk and face him.
Eggington is perhaps not likely to go on and win a world title, but you are guaranteed he will give it his all against anyone at 147 pounds.
Family Affair
There were two Yafai brothers in action in Birmingham—both Khalid and Gamal registered victories via the scorecards.
Younger sibling Gamal, 24, endured a frustrating night in a 10-rounder against Nasibu Ramadhani. Styles make fights, and the two super bantamweights went together about as well as gravy poured on ice cream.
Yafai was hindered by an injury to his left hand, per Sky Sports. That explained why he too often looked to load up with the right, hoping to put away an opponent who wanted to spoil and hold.
Gamal won convincingly on points in the end but admitted on Twitter he had not been at his best:
Khalid, who is 26, is a little further down the boxing line than his brother.
He picked up the vacant British title at super flyweight, beating former Commonwealth champion Jason Cunningham by unanimous decision.
There was a slight sense of disappointment that Kal could not get the job done inside the distance. He is a superb body puncher with the potential to go on to bigger and better things.
It seems he already has his eyes on one world champion, telling Sky Sports: "I watched the fight last night for the WBA title between [Kohei] Kono and [Koki] Kameda. Kono won, retained his WBA title. Maybe that is something we can look at down the line—bring him over here from Japan and take his title off him."
Both Yafai brothers have excellent amateur pedigrees. Both are naturally talented. There is no need for either to be held either back.
They will be better served going up against tougher opposition, giving them the opportunity to rise to the challenge. Too many comfortable nights won't tell us anything about them we don't already know.
Worth the Weight?
Matthew Macklin marked his return to super welterweight with a points triumph over a rough and ready Jason Welborn.
Mack the Knife was more like Mack in Strife at certain moments, as he got tagged more often than he and his corner would have liked.
Welborn was deducted a point for low blows in the fifth round but lost by just two on a pair of the scorecards.
He tempted his opponent to engage in a brawl rather than a boxing match, though promoter Dave Coldwell pointed out on Twitter how well Macklin dealt with the challenge put in front of him:
Macklin has dropped back down from middleweight to the 154-pound limit, an interesting move for a 33-year-old. He has fought at the weight before, though he has campaigned at middleweight in more recent times.
He tried and failed to win a world title at 160 pounds on three occasions, losing to Felix Sturm, Sergio Martinez and Gennady Golovkin.
Macklin suggested after beating Welborn that he is still a work in progress, per the Irish Sun: "I’m in a period of adaptation. This was not where I should be."
He is right to say he is not where he should be. For a boxer who has been in with some big names, getting involved in domestic tear-ups does not make a lot of sense for Macklin at this stage of his career.
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