In a clash of unbeaten lightweights, Belfast’s James McGivern, 9-0 (3 KOs), proved to be a level or two above Cardiff’s Rashid Omar, 6-1 (1 KO), and retained his BUI Celtic Lightweight title with a stunning second-round knockout at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
Omar struggled to reach his fellow southpaw from the opening bell, constantly falling short and taking accurate left hands from the slick McGivern. Towards the end of the second round, McGivern walked him directly into one of those left hands. Omar was knocked out instantly and a follow up hook pitched him face-first to the canvas. It was a brutal but spectacular finish. The time was 2:34 of the second round.
Ballyhaunis middleweight, Eoghan Lavin, 2-0, remained unbeaten with a four-round decision over Artom Spartar, 4-9-1 (1 KO). Lavin was in control throughout and had Spatar looking uncomfortable in the final seconds of the fourth round but the Estonian gritted his teeth and got to the end. Lavin picked up a cut over his left eye after clashing heads as he looked for a finish. The score was 40-36.
Star amateur Nelson Birchall, 4-0 (1 KO), looked good while outboxing Kevin Trana, 15-17-3 (9 KOs). In his first fight under coach Joe McNally, Birchall hurt Trana to the body throughout and the Nicaraguan lost a point in the second round for spitting out his mouthpiece during one attack. The super lightweight was calmer than he has been in the past and although a stoppage looked just a punch or two away at times, he didn’t rush and was content to get six rounds under his belt. The score was 60-53.
Earlier in the night, another member of the fighting Fury family got his professional career underway. Walter Fury, 1-0, eased to a four round win over Vasif Mamedov, 3-53-5. The middleweight cruised to a 40-36 decision.
Nicola Barke, 5-0, opened the show by outboxing Kerry Haley, 2-2, over six rounds at welterweight to earn a clear 60-54 decision.
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