Heaney Upsets Bentley and Nick Ball out-points Isaac Dogboe in Manchester

Frank Warren’s Queensberry Promotions was at the Manchester Arena tonight with a card that was live-streamed in North America on ESPN+. In the main event, Nathan Heaney became the third fighter from Stoke-on-Trent to win a Lonsdale Belt, snatching the diadem from Denzel Bentley with a hard-earned majority decision.

Heaney (pictured) was undefeated (17-0, 6 KOs) heading in, but the 34-year-old campaigner was not well-regarded. Denzel Bentley, a 28-year-old Londoner known to U.S. fight fans for his strong showing in a losing effort against Kazakh sharpshooter Janibek Alimkhanuly, was a consensus 7/1 favorite in the betting marketplace.

Heaney had the crowd in his corner. He entered the ring leading the audience in a resounding chorus of Tom Jones “Delilah,” the anthem of the Stoke City soccer team. Although he fought most of the fight off his back foot and his punches carried little steam, Heaney was the busier of the two and Bentley (18-3-1) was never able to cut off the ring and land that one big shot that would have turned the tide. It was an emotional scene when the scores were announced, beginning with a 114-114 tally. The other judges had it 116-113 and 117-111.

Co-Feature

Liverpool’s Nick “The Wrecking” Ball, a five-foot-three bulldog with a style reminiscent of his good friend Carl Frampton, stepped up in class and won a clear-cut 12-round decision over Isaac Dogboe, a former world title-holder whose only prior losses in 27 pro fights had come at the hands of Emanuel Navarrete (twice) and Shakur Stevenson. Ball, a 13/5 favorite who advanced his record to 19-0 (11), pressed the action, was much stronger in the clinches, and scored the bout’s lone knockdown which came in round four, the result more of a push than a punch. The bout was framed as a WBC eliminator which puts Ball in line to fight Rey Vargas (or perhaps interim title-holder Brandon Figueroa) next.

Other Bouts of Note

Telford super bantamweight Liam Davies (15-0, 7 KOs) successfully defended his European bantamweight title with a fifth-round stoppage of Italy’s previously undefeated Vincenzo Le Famina (13-1). This was a good action fight with both combatants visiting the canvas in the third frame as the result of flash knockdowns. Davies buzzed Le Femina with a right hand and followed up with a fusillade of punches forcing the stoppage at the 2:50 mark of round five.

There was a mild upset on the undercard when Derby’s Harry Scarff scored a unanimous 12-round decision over Botswana-born Ekow Essuman. The rangy Scarff (13-2, 3 KOs) cops a pair of regional titles while saddling Essuman (19-1) with his first pro loss.