Zak Chelli set about Jack Cullen, outmuscling him to win the British and Commonwealth super-middleweight titles by unanimous decision on the Natasha Jonas vs Mikaela Mayer undercard.
It was a collision full of endeavour and draining effort, but too little accuracy as it developed into a messy struggle.
Chelli came in looking for revenge for a 2020 draw that he felt he deserved to win.
Cullen, who had won the titles on an emotional night in Manchester in September, had no wish to surrender his belts without a fight.
The British and Commonwealth title fight was hard fought
Although it was a battle, “Little Lever’s Meat Cleaver” did not manage to keep a marauding challenger at bay.
He did have a height advantage and initially flickered out a long jab. A hefty right demonstrated the range he could work from and Chelli, when he got inside, swung wildly but failed to land cleanly.
But the Londoner brought in power punches in the second round. His right thumped into Cullen’s head and a second time that cross hit the champion’s jaw crisply. He popped in a left hook for good measure too.
Cullen swept a solid right uppercut in but Chelli would bore forward, heaving through a right hook. Determined, he barrelled ahead, taking the fight to Cullen.
They wheeled round each other and Cullen lost his footing. The bout became scrappy, but Chelli found the energy to wing clubbing punches into the champion.
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New British and Commonwealth Super-Middleweight Champion Zak Chelli’s post-fight interview was all about his father and trainer stealing the limelight.
Chelli slipped jabs well as Cullen came for him. The challenger led with his right and barged Cullen backwards.
A flapping left hook managed to catch Cullen full on the chin and the champion was letting control in the contest slip away from him.
He could not recover it and Chelli took a unanimous decision win, 116-113, 116-112 and 115-114.
“People dream when they turn pro to fight for the British and Commonwealth titles, and now I’ve finally got it. That’s a dream come true,” he declared afterwards.
Mark Jeffers delivered a classy performance as he beat Germaine Brown on a unanimous decision to retain the English super-middleweight title.
Jeffers won widely on the judges’ scorecards, 99-92 and 98-93 twice, although it was a well contested bout.
Jeffers, a gym-mate of Cullen’s, was making the first defence of the title he’d won against Zak Chelli when facing Brown and showed his quality with slick movement and solid combinations as he outboxed the Londoner, a former holder of this title himself.
Mark Jeffers takes a fine win over Germaine Brown to retain his title
The fighter from Chorley was well supported in the arena and soon found his mark, catching Brown with a solid uppercut and well timed right cross.
Brown fired back, but a thunderous backhand to the jaw in the second round made him pause for thought.
Jeffers continued his neat boxing, increasingly forcing Brown to work on the backfoot.
Knowing he was behind, Brown opened up on Jeffers in the 10th and last round. But the champion replied in kind. He sunk punches into the body and bounding after Brown in the final seconds cracked him with a lunging left hook.
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