WBC Interim World flyweight champion Galal Yafai (9-1, 7 KOs) took a beating, getting dropped in the final round in a bloody fight to the former unified WBO and IBF minimumweight World champion Francisco ‘Chihuas’ Rodriguez, Jr. (40-6-1, 27 KOs) in a 12-round unanimous decision defeat on Saturday night at the bp pulse LIVE Arena, in Birmingham, England.
(Credit: Geoffrey Knott/Matchroom)
2021 Olympic Gold Medalist Yafai lost a lopsided, bloody fight to Rodriguez, Jr., scoring a knockdown in the 12th round.
In the first round, midway, Rodriguez landed a left uppercut on the chin, almost dropping Yafai, who kept pulling him into a clinch for most of the round, getting hurt again in the final seconds.
In the second round, Rodriguez switched to southpaw and back, had Yafai on the defense with a four-punch combination. Referee Mark Bates seemed to favor Yafai, allowing him to use his forearm while warning Rodriguez for a low punch.
In the fourth round, after a minute, a clash of heads caused a cut on the left eyebrow of Yafai. It was another good round for Rodriguez, switching to southpaw and back to orthodox. In the fifth round, Rodriguez suffered a cut on his left eyebrow a minute into the round. It was an action-packed round. Rodriguez outlanded Yafai for the most part, who used pushing and forearms to retaliate.
In the seventh round, what looked like Rodriguez scoring a knockdown was ruled a leg-tangle by referee Bates. Big round for Rodriguez. In the eighth round, Yafai keeps using his elbows, as halfway through the round, Rodriguez knocked the head of Yafai back with a solid right on the chin.
In between rounds, the ring physician checked both fighters’ cuts. Rodriguez outworked Yafai for the most part, getting tied up when he did. In the tenth round, Rodriguez almost put Yafai through the ropes a minute into the round. Referee warns Rodriguez, not Yafai, for using his forearms. Rodriguez has landed over 100 more punches.
In the eleventh round, blood was flowing from the left eye of Yafai, with Rodriguez landing consecutive punches on the cut. Again, referee Bates warns Rodriguez and Yafai for using their hands. In the twelfth and final round, Rodriguez landed five punches with a final left hook on the chin, dropping Yafai for an 8-count from referee Bates a minute into the round. Rodriguez dealt out a beating that only the officials could take from him.
The scores were 119-108, 119-108, and 118-109.
In the chief support, British champion Conah Walker (16-3-1, 7 KOs) came from behind and stopped former WBO Euro champion Lion ‘Dynamo’ Taylor (28-3-1, 14 KOs) at 0:45 of the seventh round of a scheduled 12 rounds in a war of a fight.
In the first round, Walker kept coming forward, getting countered by Taylor with uppercuts. In the final seconds, Walker finally landed an effective punch, a left hook on the chin of Taylor. In the second round, Taylor was out-landing Walker when he was hit low. Seconds later, he again hit low, causing referee Bob Williams to give him a minute break. He came back, landing five unanswered punches before Walker landed one.
In the third round, it went back and forth, with the final minute, Walker landing a right, drawing blood from the nose of Taylor. In the fourth rounds midway point a right from Taylor opened a small cut on the left eyebrow of Walker. In the final minute, Walker had the nose of Taylor bleeding all over his face.
In the fifth round, Walker had Taylor against the ropes until Taylor countered him back. Taylor, in the final minute, landed a four-punch combination to the chin of Walker, taking the round.
In the sixth round, Taylor’s jab set up rights to the chin of Walker, for the most part outlanding Walker. Both are bleeding from the mouth. In the seventh round, Walker dropped Taylor midway with a left on the chin, and he took the count on his knees and elbows.
The 2021 Olympian and WBA International champion southpaw Peter McGrail (12-1, 6 KOs) won a 10-round majority decision over game WBO Euro Super Bantam champion Ionut Baluta (17-6-1, 3 KOs).
In the first round’s first minute, both exchanged good punches to the chin. Then, several times, McGrail rocked Baluta with lead lefts on the chin. In the second round, the wild swinging Baluta got in several lefts to the chin of McGrail, who had him backed into a corner.
In the third round’s final thirty seconds, McGrail rocked Baluta with a right hook to the chin. At the midway point, McGrail landed a lead left driving Baluta into the ropes that may have been called a knockdown by referee Steve Gray.
In the sixth round’s midway point, an accidental forearm from Baluta caused a cut on the right eyebrow of McGrail. In the seventh round, Baluta had his best round with McGrail favoring the cut.
In the eighth and ninth rounds, Baluta continued out-landing McGrail for the most part. In the tenth and final round, Baluta had a small lump over his right eye. McGrail, since the cut hasn’t been as dominant. Baluta came to fight, and it was a good second half of the fight for him. McGrail may have pulled out in the final round, trying for a stoppage.
The scores were 95-95, 97-93, and 97-93.
Super featherweight southpaw Ibraheem Sulaimaan (8-0, 4 KOs) defeated Brian Phillips (12-6, 3 KOs) by an eight-round points decision.
In the first four rounds, Sulaimaan outworked Phillips. In the eighth and final round, in the final minute, Sulaimaan landed a left, drawing blood from the nose of Phillips.
Referee Ryan Churchill scored it 80-72.
Lightweight Giorgio Visioli (8-0, 6 KOs) beat Elias Federico Duguet (7-2-1, 2 KOs) by an eight-round points decision.
In the first four rounds, Visioli dominated. In the eighth round, Visioli landed a left uppercut after Duguet missed with an overhand right, dropping Duguet for an 8-count from referee Ryan Churchill.
Churchill scored the fight 80-71.
Middleweight Aaron Bowen (6-0, 4 KOs) stopped Mykola Vovk (15-8, 9 KOs) at 2:22 of the fourth round of a scheduled eight-round fight.
In the third round, Bowell cut the right eyelid of Vovk’s with a left hook. In the fourth round, Bowell landed a flurry of punches, forcing Vovk’s corner to throw in the towel with 0:38 remaining, forcing referee Kevin Parker to call a halt.
Bantamweight Hamza Uddin (5-0, 2 KOs) knocked out southpaw Leandro Jose Blanc (8-3, 3 KOs) at 0:37 of the seventh of a scheduled eight rounds.
Ryan Churhill was the referee.
Heavyweight 2024 Olympian Pat Brown (2-0, 2 KOs) stopped Ivan Duka (5-6, 3 KOs) at 1:02 of the second round of a scheduled six rounds.
In the first round’s opening minute, Brown’s jabs and rights had swelling under the right eye of Duka. In the second round, a left to the chin and an uppercut to the body, and down went Duka for an 8-count from referee Kevin Parker, who called a halt upon Duka rising.
Super Flyweight Tiah Mai Ayton (1-0, 1 KO) knocked out Sara Orszagi (2-8) at 0:23 of the third round of a scheduled six rounds.
In the third round, Ayton dropped Orszagi twice before Referee Ryan Churchill called a halt.
The ring announcer was David Diamante.
Last Updated on 06/21/2025
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