- Cheavon Clarke stopped Chris Billam-Smith in round seven (1:24) at the Copper Box Arena in London, dropping him twice, the first knockdowns of Billam-Smith's career
- Denzel Bentley beat Shane Mosley Jr by unanimous decision (96-94, 96-93, 95-94) after dropping him in round two
- My view: I picked both Billam-Smith and a Bentley stoppage, and I got both wrong. Clarke has earned a big cruiserweight fight
Clarke Stops Billam-Smith
Right then, I did not see that coming. I backed Chris Billam-Smith to win a hard decision at Zuffa Boxing 12, and Cheavon Clarke tore up the script. Clarke dropped Billam-Smith twice in round seven and the fight was waved off at 1:24 at the Copper Box Arena in London.
Those were the first knockdowns of Billam-Smith's professional career, which tells you everything about the quality of the finish. Clarke also picked up a Performance of the Night bonus, and he deserved it. When I previewed the fight I said Clarke was dangerous and that the first rounds mattered. I should have trusted that instinct more.
What This Does For Clarke
He Beat A Former World Champion
Billam-Smith is a former WBO cruiserweight champion, and Clarke did not just beat him, he stopped him. The amateur grudge from their past is settled in the most emphatic way possible. Make no mistake, this is the biggest win of Clarke's career and it puts him right into the cruiserweight conversation.
Where He Goes Next
Let's not beat around the bush: Clarke has earned a shot at the top end of the division. With David Benavidez now focused on cruiserweight, a fight with him is the obvious one to make. I would still favour Benavidez, who is levels above in terms of experience at world level, but Clarke has shown he has the power to make it a proper fight.
Billam-Smith: A Setback, Not The End
It was a tough night for a brilliant servant of British boxing. He has taken the first knockdowns of his career and the first stoppage defeat of his career, and the question will be how he responds. Losing like that hurts, but he has been to the top before. He will need time, and a good hard look at what changed.
Bentley Edges Mosley Jr
The co-feature was a cracker. Denzel Bentley beat Shane Mosley Jr by unanimous decision, with scores of 96-94, 96-93 and 95-94 over 10 rounds. Bentley dropped Mosley Jr in round two, and both men earned Fight of the Night bonuses. I predicted a late stoppage and that did not happen, because Mosley Jr stood up better than I gave him credit for. Credit to him, and credit to Bentley for finding a way to win a tight, hard fight.