On Saturday, November 9, 2019, Danny Dignum (12-0, 6 KOs) won the European WBO title via dramatic knockout to top an excellent card from London’s York Hall that was broadcast on the streaming service ESPN+.
Dignum scored a sixth-round TKO victory over Conrad “Mr. Dynamite” Cummings (17-4-1, 7 KOs). Cummings used his elbows aggressively throughout the fight, a point that the referee picked up on and deducted a point from the British fighter in Round 2.
From then on it was all Dignum who put on a boxing lesson before staggering Cummings in Round 6.
The fight card also featured two examples of arguably the greatest rivalry in sport–the UK vs. Argentina. The countries have faced off in numerous sports encounters that are always heightened by the fact that the two countries fought a brief war over the Falkland Islands in 1982.
Michael “The Problem” McKinson (18-0, 2 KOs) looks to have a bright future in the Welterweight division. McKinson (ranked No. 12 by the WBO) took a big step up in class against Luis Alberto Veron (17-1-2, 8 KOs) of Argentina.
McKinson showed world-class defense in the early rounds.
“He is elusive in sparring, you can’t touch him,” said Jamie Sach who sparred with McKinson in the build up to this fight.
McKinson’s slick footwork kept the Argentine off balance and out of range most of the night. This helped McKinson score flash knockdowns in Rounds 1 and 5. Scores were 98-90, 97-91 and 99-89 with Veron only winning two rounds on the Round By Round Boxing card.
Unbeaten female Super Lightweight Chantelle Cameron (12-0, 7 KOs) won a hard-fought unanimous decision over Argentina’s Anahi Ester “La Indiecita” Sanchez (19-5, 11 KOs) in a final eliminator for the WBC world title.
La Indiecita is arguably one of the greatest female boxing champions produced by Argentina, having won world titles at two weight classes and hailing from a traditional powerhouse in women’s boxing that gave the world the likes of Marcela ‘The Tigress” Acosta. Yet, Cameron handled her with relative ease. The three judges scoring the bout had it 100-89, 100-89 and 99-90.
The world’s most famous female fighter–Clarissa Shields (9-0, 2 KOs)–also appeared ringside with a former opponent and now sparring partner, Scotland’s Hannah Rankin, as well as famed boxing trainer John David Jackson (a former trainer of Sugar Shane Mosley and Sergey Kovalev).
Shields ran into rival Savannah Marshall (8-0, 6 KOs) ringside. Marshall is best known for beating Shields in the amateurs. A possible rematch would be the biggest fight in female boxing at the moment and Shields has made clear she would be fine to have that fight in the UK.
“I’d love to fight in the UK one day, I love the atmosphere and the fans,” said Shields. “My dream would be to fight in the O2 Arena here in London.”
The O2 Arena is likely the venue best known in North America for its reference on the song “God’s Plan” by hip-hop artist Drake.
Elsewhere on the card, former world title challenger Liam Walsh (23-1, 15 KOs) won a 10-round decision over Maxi Hughes (19-5-2, 4 KOs) for the vacant WBO European Lightweight belt. Scores were 96-94, 98-92 and 97-93.
Walsh’s one loss came via Gervonta Davis in an IBF Junior Lightweight title fight in May 2017.
In an off-television result, Danny “Darko” Egbunike (6-0, 3 KOs) won the vacant BBB of C Southern Area Super Light Title in his sixth professional bout.
Egbunike was hurt in the second round against the tall and rangy Billy Allington. However, Allington failed to press his advantage and Egbunike dug deep to survive the round.
Between rounds, dozens of Egbunike fans rushed to the aisles near the ring to cheer their man on who warmed to the challenged and emerged with a points victory for his effort.
