David Avanesyan Dazzles Again on a London Card That Lost Its Main Event

David Avanesyan Dazzles Again on a London Card That Lost Its Main Event

BOXXER is the name of the new promotional firm that stepped up to fill the void when Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom organization decided to give DAZN all its business, thereby severing its relationship with Sky Sports. The BOXXER/Sky Sports partnership had its maiden run today and was yet more evidence that the only law that applies to boxing is Murphy’s Law: If something can go wrong, it will.

BOXXER’s most prominent signee is Chris Eubank Jr, the son of the former multi-division champion of the same name. Eubank Jr was to headline today’s show at SSE Hydro (formerly Wembley) Arena, a match designed to chum the water for a bout between Eubank Jr and Gennadiy Golovkin, a match first under consideration in 2016.

Unfortunately, Eubank Jr’s opponent, Germany’s Anatoly Muratov, was a late scratch because of an undisclosed medical condition. Muratov was a last-minute replacement for his countryman Sven Elbir who had to withdraw after contracting COVID.

That bumped up David Avanesyan vs Liam Taylor into the main event. Avanesyan, a 33-year-old Russian who has resided in the UK off-and-on since 2014, would be making the fourth defense of his EBU European welterweight title.

One would be hard-pressed to name a boxer who is in better form than Avanesyan who has now won five straight in high style after stopping Taylor in the second round. The run began with back-to-back stoppages of previously undefeated Kerman Lejarraga on Lejarraga’s turf in Spain.

Taylor, a 30-year-old Lancashire man who brought a 23-1-1 record and was unbeaten in his last 13, wasn’t intimidated. The first round was a firefight but it quickly became obvious that the Russian had too many guns. A counter right hand by Avanesyan put Taylor on the deck and he finished matters in the next stanza, pummeling Taylor against the ropes, forcing the stoppage. The official time was 2:18 of round two.

Avanesyan (28-3-1, 16 KOs) sent Shane Mosely Sr into retirement in 2016 and that seemed as if it would stand as his signature win when he was hammered into submission in six rounds by Egidijus Kavaliauskas in 2018. But to the contrary, his late career surge shows no signs of abating. Undefeated (21-0) but feather-fisted Michael McKinson may be next on his docket.

Also

Undefeated cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe, a 31-year-old Londoner, improved to 12-0 (8) with an 8-round decision over Polish import Krzysztof Twardowski. The six-foot-five Riakporhe, a late bloomer who overcame a tough upbringing to earn a college degree, was never in danger but the Pole, whose record fell to 9-3, proved tougher than expected. Referee Charles Coakley’s scorecard read 79-73.

Riakporhe was making his first start in 21 months. He has been targeting a match with countryman Lawrence Okolie, the reigning WBO world 200-pound title-holder. However, according to BoxRec, his next fight will come here on Nov. 20 against 40-year-old Nigeria native Olanrewaju Durodola, a former world title challenger.

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