Viddal Riley dominates Nathan Quarless to become English champion; Callum Simpson also clinched the WBA Continental title with a win over Jose de Jesus Macias, before Jeamie TKV suffered a stoppage defeat to Igor Macedo after sustaining a huge cut to his eye to bring the fight to a halt
Sunday 1 October 2023 16:55, UK
Viddal Riley clinched the vacant English cruiserweight title as he cruised to a commanding unanimous decision victory over Nathan Quarless at York Hall on Saturday night.
The 26-year-old was barely troubled but was made to be patient by Quarless as he improved his professional record to 10-0 to take the latest step in his development.
All three judges ruled the fight 100-90 in favour of Riley, who will have deemed his latest win as arguably his most meaningful stepping stone yet towards the top domestic cruiserweights.
Riley was too quick, too skilled and offered too much variation for his opponent throughout, controlling the bout on the front foot from the off and fighting through any frustration that may have arisen in light of a passive back-foot approach from Quarless.
"I'm finally legitimate, I want to thank my whole team, we're on our way, I'm very happy," said Riley.
"Nathan has been boxing a long time, he knows the slippery moves and how to survive, that's why it's important we train for the distance. We have the ability to finish people but if it goes the distance we're there, and we can win every round and in different ways too.
"The cruiserweight division is very exciting. Naturally the next progression is to British title, maybe have one defence of this. I'd like to win the Lonsdale belt, it's prestigious and I'd like to be part of that."
Riley burst out on the front foot and landed an early jab before sinking an uppercut into the torso of Quarless on the ropes followed by a slick left hook to assert his authority.
With Quarless happy to operate off the backfoot, Riley sought to close the distance in the third and landed another firm uppercut before fizzing a left hook to the face of the Liverpudlian, who never quite looked willing to let his hands go in reply.
Riley switched up his angle and shot selection in the fourth in pursuit of luring prying Quarless open, but again couldn't quite unlock the decisive finisher.
It continued to be Riley who would initiate attacks against a slightly passive Quarless, who ate another sharp uppercut in the eighth and was unable to conjure any sought of response over the closing exchanges.
Callum Simpson became WBA Super-Middleweight Continental champion as he recorded a unanimous decision victory over the tough late replacement Jose de Jesus Macias.
It proved another valuable step in Simpson's development and a test of patience as he was forced to wear down another stern opponent, with all three judges scoring the fight 100-89 in favour of the Barnsley man as he extended his professional record to 13-0.
"I said you would see a much more measured, clean performance. I didn't rush in, I tried to keep the range and got 10 rounds out, won every single one and got an extra round as well," said Simpson.
"I thought if I put it on him I could have stopped him but I wanted 10 rounds, I wanted to show my class and my maturity.
"I'd love to get that Jack Cullen fight made next."
Simpson wore the Mexican down as the rounds progressed, breaking through to create a cut under the right eye of his opponent in the fifth before beginning to pile on the pressure in the sixth.
As Macias continued to tire Simpson continued to throw a nice variety of two and three-punch combinations, dominating the distancing of the fight whether it be rattling off jabs at range or working the body on the inside.
A snappy uppercut connected with the chin of Macias on the ropes in the final seconds of the seventh, before a clinical left hook floored his opponent to put him further ahead in the next round.
Macias came out swinging in the final rounds amid something of a second wind, but a mature Simpson performance would guide the British hopeful home to a comfortable win.
Jeamie TKV sustained a gruesome cut to his eye as he suffered a shock stoppage defeat to Brazilian Igor Macedo, marking the first loss of his professional career.
The British heavyweight found himself behind early on and struggled to get his shots away against the sharper, busier, more threatening Macedo, who continued to breach his opponent's defences with a firm right hand.
Macedo's style proved awkward and offered opportunities at times, none of which TKV was able to capitalise on as he waited for the defining shot.
He broke through with a crisp right hand to snap back the head of TKV in the fifth, before making it count in the sixth when a slick left-right combination left blood pouring from the split eyebrow of his opponent to force a doctor's stoppage.
TKV had seemingly been eyeing a matchup with Olympian Frazer Clarke, who suggested afterwards it would represent a step down for him at this stage in his career.
"I'm not here to kick anybody while they're down, but it just wasn't his night tonight from the bell, he seemed to be second best to everything," said Clarke.
"I know he likes to throw a lot of shots up close but even in that he was tangled up a lot. Maybe he was guilty of overlooking the opponent and looking at myself too much.
"I want big fights now, we'll get some big names on the table. I'm looking for titles."
