Antwi, Arthur Score Late, Dramatic KO’s
What a night in Bolton, England! Two dramatic KO's that saved world title aspirations. 32-year-old Lyndon "King" Arthur and Samuel "True Sensation" Antwi rally late to score sensational one-punch knockouts on an absolutely thrilling Friday night card.
In the evening's main event, 31-year-old Antwi, 17-2 (8), saved the night with a knockout in the final thirty seconds. The Londoner took the early rounds using his jab and his movement. Much more off the backfoot and lateral. Antwi edged out round after round, using his jab and setting up power shots. He scored plenty off clean right hands and left hook, but they seemed not to fade the rugged Mason Cartwright 19-4-1(8), Cartwright, 31 years old of Cheshire, UK, landed plenty of good shorts of his own but was taking two to get one as Antwi was running away with the fight on the cards. Winning no less than seven of the first eight rounds. Antwi begins showboating, taunting, and bolo punching. However, Cartwright was losing the battle, but the war was very much in doubt as a right hand wobbled the Londoner in the ninth. Cartwright again had Antwi in a world of trouble in the 10th and had something going. Entering the championship rounds, Antwi had it on points if he could make it through the fight. However, the momentum was fully in favor of the Chesire native, who landed more thudding power shots, forced the action in on Antwi, and eeked out a competitive 11th. Needing a knockout it appeared Cartwright pushed the action, and an exhausted Antwi, who is skilled on the inside, had no legs left. The two traded on the inside, with about 30 seconds left, a truly sensational left hook, followed by a right hand dropped and ended the night for Cartwright. Giving Antwi the 12th-round TKO victory and propelling him to bigger things.
In the evening's co-main event, Arthur was beaten and battered and looked lethargic after being thoroughly beaten up by Braian Suarez of Argentina. Shortly After being warned for hitting to the back of the head in the fourth, the Argentine landed a perfectly placed left hook that dropped big Arthur in the final ticks. In the final moments of the fifth, a right-hand score that again wobbled Arthur. Suarez seized control of the fight, shoulder rolling and countering on the inside and scoring at will. After boxing well in the first few rounds, Arthur looked to be out of his league! However, that's the beauty of boxing. The 10th round started unspectacularly for the King until a left hook landed on the liver of Suarez, putting his opponent down for the count. Suarez tried desperately to beat the count, but it was not to be! As Arthur captured the IBO world light heavyweight title.
The undercard featured two highly skilled prospects who kept their undefeated record in place. Ben Marksby moved his record to 8-0 (0), overcoming a point deduction to take a decision 77-75. Much closer than it needed to be, Marksby showed off terrific hand speed and combination punching in outclassing a rugged and determined Jordan Ellison. Also, Codie Smith of Yorkshire UK moved to 3-0 (0)in outworking and out-hustling Eliecer Quezada, a veteran of over 40 fights from Nicaragua. Smith dominated the action and took the 6-round Super Featherweight affair by a score of 60-54.
