TELFORD – Super bantamweight Tom Welland (3-0, 2 KO) scored a second-round stoppage against Esteban Troestch (1-3-1, 1KO) in Telford, opening the televised broadcast of the Wasserman Boxing promotion headlined by the vacant European super welterweight title fight between Abass Baraou and Sam Eggington.
Welland, who turned professional in November 2023, kicked off his 2024 with a knockdown in the second round and capitalized on the vulnerability of the Panamanian visitor, forcing a stoppage at 2:02 of the second in a scheduled four.
Lightweight Sultan Zaurbek (17-0, 12 KOs) celebrated his official signing with Wasserman with a comfortable and wide points win over eight scheduled rounds against Victor Julio (17-11, 9 KOs).
Zaurbek cast a frustrated figure against Julio, with the Colombian unwilling to engage and happy to concede the initiative to the Kazak. Zaurbek tried his best to close the show in the final round. However, despite Julio crumpling to the floor following a pushdown, Zaurbek was unable to score the stoppage. Scoring referee Peter McCormack ruled the contest 80-71 to Zauerbek
Matty Harris (6-1, 4 KOs) cast a more controlled figure in the ring as he marked a successful return to action following the first defeat of his career in July last year with a points win against Amine Boucetta (8-10).
Harris, with new trainer Peter Fury in his corner, could have secured victory as early as the second round, with Boucetta rocked following an uppercut on the inside but Harris smothered his opportunity and it passed him by.
Harris was forward-minded in his approach over the final two rounds and came close to securing a fourth and final-round finish with some flowing hooks and uppercuts on the inside. But, instead of a stoppage, Harris had to settle for a 40-36 points verdict from referee McCormack.
Andrei Dascalu (10-0, 3 KOs) produced a quick win, inside 90 seconds, to successfully claim the Southern Area title against Joe Jackson-Brown.
Dascalu, of Barnet, from the outset showed his tenacity with two stiff jabs knocking Jackson-Brown onto his heels and with Dascalu then sending him to the canvas.
Jackson-Brown rose to his feet on the count of eight but returned to the floor following an unanswered onslaught, with Jackson-Brown looking unsteady having taken a right hook. Referee Kevin Parker immediately waved off the contest, despite Jackson-Brown’s attempts to continue, with an official time of stoppage coming at 1:25 of the first round of a scheduled 10.
Middleweight Ryan Kelly (19-4, 8 KOs) endured an energized Ioan Lutic (2-7, 2 KOs) as both fighters touched the canvas in a six-round thriller.
Kelly, a former Midlands Area champion, did not have the straightforward night it appeared he would have on paper. Kelly was visibly troubled by the power the Romanian held in his shots and Lutic went on the attack in the fourth round, with referee Parker having a close look at Kelly.
Kelly recovered and was more composed in the fifth, dropping Lutic late in the session with a right uppercut to the body. Lutic then endured a relentless Kelly, who attempted to close the show, sending Lutic to the ropes following an unanswered three-punch combination.
Luitc roared back in the final round of a scheduled six, dropping Kelly heavily with a short right hook, catching Kelly on the inside. The pair exchanged shots all the way up to the final bell, with scoring referee Parker marking in Kelly’s favor 57-55.