Jamie McDonnell dominated Fernando Vargas with a ninth round stoppage win in the fourth defence of his WBA World Bantamweight title at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
McDonnell patiently picked the tough Mexican apart as the late replacement provided stubborn resistance in the first half of the fight, but the Doncaster man was faultless and put his foot down in the second half of the fight to force the stoppage after landing heavy headshots in the ninth session.
McDonnell believes he should now add to his WBA strap and is hunting a unification showdown with his fellow champions at 118lbs.
“The kid came it at the last minute and we knew he was going to be tough for the first half of the fight,” said McDonnell. “The game plan was to break him down, work him down and take him out of there after six.
“It felt so easy in there but it was very frustrating when I started chasing him around and not cutting him down, but when I pinged him and let the shots go you could see he couldn’t take the shots and the power, and he folded.
“I have been on the road and proved I am the best in the Bantamweight division; I beat the WBO champion and should have the IBF, WBA and WBO World titles. I have defended the WBA belt four times, I am the best in the Bantamweights – forget Lee Haskins, Shinsuke Yamanaka, your Juan Carlos Payano; I said to Eddie line those fights up and I will go and take the titles, as long as I am fighting I am happy.
“The plan was to move up after the first Tomoki Kameda fight but I can still make Bantamweight and as long as there are fights there I can still make Bantamweight, I don’t mind moving up to fight the likes of Scott Quigg or Carl Frampton, I believe if I move up I would beat them, but at the minute I am clearing up at Bantamweight.”
Hearn added: “He will fight anyone. There is talk of the Scott Quigg fight at Super Bantamweight. I think that is a good fight, Scott wants it, Jamie fancies that. He has been superb, an unsung hero of British boxing and he is really starting to get the respect he deserves.
“He is a two-time Bantamweight champion. Dave Coldwell has done a brilliant job with him and I thought he went through the gears excellently there. I believe he is the best Bantamweight in the World. Payano for the Super belt could be next, Lee Haskins is out there with a World title and Stuart Hall is in a final eliminator for Lee’s belt. Jamie is getting better and better with every fight.”
In the early action, Ohara Davies put in a powerful performance to land the English Lightweight title in style. Davies dropped Andy Keates in the opening round and battered the Leek man over the next three rounds before delivering a brutal body shot that ended proceedings in the fourth round.
“I’ve worked hard in the gym and did everything write in the build-up so this is what happens what I can do when I get it right,” said Davies. “I am ready for the British title, I’d love to fight Scotty Cardle or defend my English again Sean Dodd.”
Matthew Macklin came out on top in his crossroads Middleweight clash with Brian Rose. The Irishman had a point deducted in the tenth round for low blows in a war of attrition between the pair, but his busy approach and fast start handed him the win against the Blackpool man by majority decision – 113-113, 115-111 and 115-111.
“I think I was the one that wanted it more,” said Macklin. “I need to think now, I didn’t win in the convincing fashion I thought I would but I am not going to take any meaningless fights now I will only take big ones. Let’s sit tight and see what comes. I started OK but I got sloppy. He was a lot tougher than I expected and I wasted some energy going for the body.”\
Conor Benn kicked off his pro career with a first round KO win at The O2, live on Sky Sports Box Office.
Benn showed all his father Nigel’s trademarks as he fired in heavy shots from the first bell of his exciting future in the paid ranks, and the 19 year old made sure his first night would be a short one as he cornered Hungarian Ivailo Boyanov and handed him more punishment before the referee waved it off.
“It is unbelievable,” said Benn. “This is something that will stay with me until the day I die, it is an unbelievable reception I got. I told you I am bring the Team Benn vibes back and here it is, there is much more to come.
“The crowd have welcomed me and then it is me focusing on what I have got to do – get in there and do the damage.
“If I can fight in front of a crowd like this and just embrace it and perform the way I did, then let’s fight every month, as much as I can. I have to be three-times World champion, not two.”
“My heart was going like the clappers,” said Nigel Benn. “Now you can see what he has got in store – he is quality, he likes to fight just like me and he has the tools. I am proud that he will be working with Eddie Hearn, he couldn’t be with any better promoter. I can go back to Australia now – I am not coming back here anymore, I cannot take it anymore!
“He wants to be better than me and he is going to be better than me.”
