Harper and Jonas battle to draw in Super Feather Title fight

Terri Harper and Natasha Jonas battled to a 10-round split draw in a terrific action fight for Harper’s WBC Super Featherweight title fight at Matchroom HQ in Essex, England.

In round two Jonas was cut over her right eye. The two battled at close quarters with each taking turns seizing the upperhand. Harper came forward, but Jonas landed the more telling blows including rocking Harper on at least two different occasions. The two battled down the stretch and gave it their all in the ring. In the end, both Harper and Jonas won a card via 96-94 scores, and a 3rd card was 95-95.

Harper, 129.3 lbs of Denaby is now 10-0-1. Jonas, 129.6 lbs of Liverpool is 9-1-1.

Fowler stops Adam Harper in 7

Anthony Fowler stopped previously Adam Harper in round seven of a scheduled 10-round junior middleweight bout.

In round two, Harper was deducted a point for low blows. He was also cut under his left eye in the round. In round four, Fowler dropped Harper with a booming right to the chin.

In round six, Fowler was cut above his right eye. That did not deter Fowler as he came out in the following round and landed a hard 1-2 combination that froze Harper. A follow up flurry forced referee Ian-John Lewis to stop the bout at 1:34.

Fowler, 155.7 lbs of Liverpool is 13-1 with 10 knockouts. Harper, 156.4 lbs of Tewkesbury is 9-1-1.

IN EARLY ACTION

Hopey Price won a decision over Jonny Phillips in a six-round featherweight fight.

Price, 126.9 lbs of Leeds won by a 60-54 tally and is now 3-0. Phillips, 128.8 lbs of Sandhurst is 5-5.

Chris Billam-Smith stopped previously undefeated Nathan Thorley in round two of a scheduled 12-round cruiserweight bout.

In round one, Billiam-Smith sent Thorley to the canvas, after absorbing three lefts to the head. In round two, a barrage of punches that was concluded by two huge rights put Thorley on the deck for a 2nd time. Minutes later, Billam-Smith landed a booming right that sent Thorley to deck again. Thorley got to his feet, but the fight was stopped at 2:05.

Billam-Smith, 199.9 lbs of Bournsmouth is 11-1 with 10 knockouts. Thorley, 199.9 lbs of Cardiff, WAL is 14-1.




THORLEY: THIS IS MY BREAKTHROUGH NIGHT

Nathan Thorley is determined to announce himself on the big stage when he challenges Bournemouth’s Chris Billam-Smith for the Commonwealth Cruiserweight Title on Week 2 of Matchroom Fight Camp in Brentwood, Essex on Friday August 7, live on Sky Sports in the UK and DAZN in the US. 

‘Thunder’ (14-0, 6 KOs) won Welsh honours at Light-Heavyweight before admitting defeat in his battle with the scales and moving up to Cruiserweight where he has scored points wins over Lithuanian imports Remigijus Ziausys and Dmitrij Kalinovskij.

The 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist is confident fans will see the best version of him when he steps up in class to face ‘The Gentleman’ in what he hopes will be the first of many title fights at his new weight. 

“I’ve had one fight where my opponent was coming to win, and he got knocked out in the second round,” said Thorley. “I’m taking nothing away from Jermaine Asare, he’s a tidy fighter. After that I went back to fighting journeymen again – opponents who are only trying to survive in there. That’s not what I want out of this sport. I want to fight the best to be the best. 

“The division is massive at the moment, it never used to be, but now there’s plenty of fights out there for me that I want to take and will take. Chris is a good fighter. He’s got a good shot selection to the body and head. He’s a fit, strong, physical guy so I’ve got my work cut out. It’s not going to be an easy night. I’m really looking forward to getting in the ring with him. 

“I was never going to pass at this opportunity. This is my breakthrough night. Everyone that I’ve fought or sparred with have always said I’m big and awkward. He’ll have his work cut out too. I’m not coming in to just fall down. I’m coming in to win. I will have my hand raised.”

Billam-Smith vs. Thorley lands on Week 2 of Matchroom Camp, Terri Harper’s (10-0, 5 KOs) defence of her WBC and IBO Super-Featherweight World Titles against British rival Natasha Jonas (9-1, 7 KOs) headlines the show, Liverpool Super-Welterweight Anthony Fowler (12-1, 9 KOs) gets his second outing of the year against Adam Harper (9-1), Oldham Lightweight prospect Aqib Fiaz (5-0) steps up against Birmingham’s former Midlands Area Champion Kane Baker (13-6) and Leeds Featherweight prospect Hopey Price (2-0) fights on UK soil again following his win on the huge Andy Ruiz vs. Anthony Joshua 2 show in Saudi Arabia.