It was the 26 year old southpaw challenger, Carroll, however, who got off to the quick start, making a concerted effort to bang Farmer to the body.
But after a brief two round “feeling out” period, the southpaw champion settled in and began countering Carroll to head and body, throwing counter uppercuts from in-close and ripping loaded counter lefts to the body. A clash of heads also caused a nasty cut over Carroll’s right eye, a cut that only worsened as the fight progressed.
In the middle rounds, Farmer, 29, began taking over as Carroll’s offense began to slow and his punches began to hold less steam. There was a lot of in-fighting in the middle rounds, welcomed by the “American Idol”, Farmer, who was content to let Carroll throw a few before firing back the more significant shots.
Although struggling to gain ground through most of the mid-to-late rounds, Carroll did rally in the eighth, scoring mostly with body blows.
As the tenth wound to a close, Farmer hurt Carroll with a short right, sending the bearded Irishman in full retreat. Farmer kept his foot on the gas, connecting with more shots, but Carroll was able to ride out the storm until the end of the round.
The championship rounds went to Farmer, as well, securing the victory and his title.
It was the third successful title defense, and first in Philadelphia, for Farmer, who won his belt against Australian Billy Dib last August.
Farmer, who early in his career, without proper promotional guidance found himself prematurely pitted against tough opponents. After just twelve pro fights, Farmer’s record already sported four losses and one draw. Seven-plus years later, those numbers remain unchanged.
Farmer’s last loss came via stoppage against Jose Pedraza in 2012.
For his part, Carroll gave a good account for himself in his first world title challenge and first fight on American soil.
The Dublin native is now winless in his last two contests, having fought to a draw against Frenchman Guillaume Frenois (46-1-1, 12KO) in December.
Katie Taylor Wins Another Title, Stops Rose Volante
In a world female lightweight unifier between two previously unbeaten champions, Ireland’s Katie Taylor (13-0, 6KO) added the WBO title to her collection (IBF, WBA), stopping Brazil’s Rose Volante (14-1, 8KO) in the ninth of a scheduled ten round contest.
Taylor, a former 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist, started quickly, dropping Volante early in the opening round with a left hook.
Credit Volante, who not only survived the remainder of the first, but then dug in and stood toe-to-toe with Taylor for the duration of the contest. And although she battled and traded with Taylor, Volante was being battered round after round.
In the eighth round Taylor, 32, Taylor shot up off her stool and looked determine to end it, letting her fists fly. But Volante, who was making her third title defense, showed the heart of a true champion and refused to fold.
It wasn’t until the 1:40 mark of the ninth round that referee Benjy Esteves stepped in to stop the punishment and call a halt to the contest.
Taylor remains on track to land a megafight later in this year, either against 7-division champion and current WBO female super flyweight titleist Amanda Serrano or undefeated unified world female welterweight champion Cecelia Braekhus.
Maciej Sulecki Survives Gabe Rosado Surge In North Philly Brawl
In a classic Philly brawl that saw both fighters hit the mat twice, Polish middleweight Maciej Sulecki (28-1, 11KO) outlasted a late surge by veteran fan favorite “King” Gabriel Rosado en route to a ten round unanimous decision victory.
It took less than ninety seconds for action to heat up and big punches to land, as Sulecki, 29, found immediate success with his right hand, firing a right behind Rosado’s left ear that dropped him to the mat. Rosado, 33, was shaken, but not hurt, and was able to navigate his way through the rest of the first.
In the third round, Rosado, who was fighting in his hometown for the first time in seven years, started to gain a bit of momentum. Much like Sulecki, he started also finding a home for his own right hand, landing two nose-crunching rights in the third.
The middle rounds weren’t dominated by either fighter, but it was Sulecki and his rights that were getting the better of Rosado.
Things looked like they might come to an end in the eight when Sulecki landed a left hook-right hand combo that rocked Rosado and sent him to the canvas for the second time in the fight. A woozy Rosado was able to ride out the remainder of the round, much of which was spent with his back against the ropes in a neutral corner, dipping, diving, and dodging Sulecki punches.
Then in the ninth, in classic Philly fashion, Rosado battled back and worked the crowd into a frenzy. The former world title challenger landed a perfectly thrown counter right that exploded on Sulecki’s head, sending the Pole crashing to the mat. Sulecki beat the ensuing ten count, but was quickly met again by another Rosado right, this a looping overhand right, that crumpled Sulecki to the canvas yet again. Credit Sulecki who again beat the referee’s ten count before the bell signaling the end of the ninth round chimed.
In the tenth round, Rosado kept his foot on the gas, trying to end the fight with a single right hand. But Sulecki was able to weather the storm and survive.
In the end, all three judges scored the contest for Sulecki (95-91×2, 95-93).
Sulecki’s only professional loss remains a UD to former world middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs in April 2018.
For Rosado, who was coming off a draw against Luis “Cuba” Arias in November, the result makes it only one win in his last five contests.
Sulecki is now positioned to face off against WBO middleweight titleist Demetrius Andrade.
Luke Campbell TKOs Adrian Yung In 5
Former world lightweight title challenger “Cool Hand” Luke Campbell (20-2, 16KO) made it three wins in a row since his 2017 defeat to Jorge Linares, stopping Adrian “Chinito” Yung (26-6-2, 20KO) in the fifth round of a scheduled ten rounds.
Campbell, a 2012 Olympic Gold medalist, had it his way from the opening bell, controlling the fight from the onset. The British southpaw eventually broke through in the fourth round after a right hand forced Yung, who took the fight on short notice, to a knee.
In the sixth, the 31 year old British southpaw, Campbell, upped the pressure. After landing an unobstructed flurry of shots, referee Eric Dali jumped in to stop the contest at the 1:37 mark of round five.
Campbell remains the mandatory challenger for Mikey Garcia’s 135lb. WBC title. Garcia, of course, squares off against undefeated welterweight champion Errol Spence, Jr. tomorrow night on FOX PPV in Texas.
Raymond Ford Cruises To UD In Pro Debut
In his professional debut, nineteen year-old Matchroom Boxing featherweight prospect Raymond Ford (1-0) earned a four round unanimous decision against Weusi Johnson (3-11).
The former 2018 123-pound National Golden Gloves champion scored a knockdown midway through the first courtesy of a huge left cross, but was unable to stop Delaware’s Johnson before the end the round. No matter to Ford, though, as the Camden, NJ southpaw faced little resistance the rest of the way and cruised to a shutout victory. Scores were 40-35×3.
Yeleussinov Earns Wide UD Against Ortiz
2016 Olympic Gold medalist Daniyar “Kazakh Thunder” Yeleussinov (6-0, 3KO) remained undefeated, scoring a wide eight round unanimous decision against fellow welterweight Silverio Ortiz (37-14, 18KO).
Yeleussinov, a 28 year-old southpaw, started quickly, picking and landing his shots, while using fantastic footwork to keep the 439 round veteran, Ortiz, out of range.
From the third round on, the fight didn’t come as easy for the Matchroom Boxing prospect, as the distance began to close and exchanges increased. There was never a point where the Kazakh wasn’t in control, however, but Ortiz did score with loaded rights, albeit infrequently.
In the seventh, Yeleussinov scored a knockdown that culminated with a punch landing behind Ortiz’s head while he was already on the mat. Referee Benjy Esteves instructed the judges to score the knockdown, but also took a point away from Yeleussinov.
At the end of eight, official scorecards read 79-70 and 79-71×2 for Yeleussinov.
Sparrow Hammers Lundy, Scores MD Win
In a highly anticipated entertaining all-Philadelphia slugfest, Avery Sparrow (10-1, 3KO) scored a ten round majority decision over former world title challenger Hank Lundy (29-8-14KO).
It didn’t take long for the two rivals to start exchanging some serious leather, and toward the end of the first round, the 35 year-old southpaw Lundy scored with a short left, followed by a straight right that seemed to grab Sparrow’s attention.
No long lasting impact, however, as the spry 25 year-old, Sparrow, flipped the script in the following round, scoring two knockdowns courtesy of right hands. The first came seemingly out of nowhere, when Sparrow launched an overhand right that caught Lundy flush on the left side of the head, sending him off balance, forcing his glove to touch the canvas. The ensuing knockdown came less than a minute later, as Sparrow countered a wild-swinging Lundy, shooting a straight right down Broad Street, sending Lundy crashing to the mat.
The resilient 241-round veteran Lundy dug deep, though, and came back the very next round and stood toe-to-toe with Sparrow, perhaps even nicking the round.
From the third on it was a seesaw affair, with both fighters willing to eat a few punches to land a few of their own.
Wild exchanges were commonplace almost every time an ensuing round neared end.
When it was all said and done, the three judges turned in cards of 94-94, and 95-93 and 96-92 for Sparrow.
The win is arguably the biggest of Sparrow’s young career, who’s other win of note came against Jose Lopez in 2017.
The result marks the second loss in a row for “Hammerin’” Hank and is his third in his last six contests.
Ballard Stops Fonseca For Second Time In Career
Undefeated super middleweight D’Mitrius Ballard (20-0, 13KO) scored a fifth round stoppage over hardnosed Mexican Victor Fonseca (17-20-1, 14KO) to kick off a night of fights from Temple University’s Liacouras Center. It was the second time the 25 year-old Ballard and Fonseca squared off and the second time Ballard closed the show inside the scheduled distance. In 2015, the Golden Boy Promotions signee stopped Fonseca inside three rounds, and tonight he needed just two more, battering Fonseca around the ring until referee Eric Dali stopped the fight in the fifth of a scheduled ten.
Tonight’s card, presented by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing, will culminate when hometown champion Tevin Farmer (28-4-1, 6KO) defends his IBF World Super Featherweight title live on DAZN (US) and Sky Sports (UK) against unbeaten Irishman Jono Carroll (16-0-1, 3KO).
