By Alexey Sukachev
Ponds Forge Arena, Sheffield, Yorkshire - In a battle of power and pride against style and technique, Gary Buckland (25-2, 8 KOs) proved his mixture of the former was more superior to that of his opponent Paul Truscott (18-3, 3 KOs) in making the first successful defense of his BBBofC British super featherweight title. Scores were wide: 118-110 (Michael Alexander), 119-109 (Phil Edwards) and 118-110 (Richie Davies) - for the defending champion, while BoxingScene had it 119-108 - also for Buckland.
Buckland was in full control of the fight from the very beginning. Tall and rangy Truscott, a former Commonwealth featherweight king was way too powerless to give any problems to "Dynamo" Buckland, who paid little-to-no attention to his mosquito-like attacks and marched forward with wicked blows both to the head and to the body. It looked like the battle would be finally over in the second round, a truly horrible nightmare for the challenger, but Truscott summoned all he had left and survived - first to the bell and then to the end of this one-sided twelve-rounder. Buckland, not a big puncher himself, was active and determined but everyone could see the lack of dynamite in his gloves, and it was the difference. Truscott was down for the count of seven in the tenth after a hard left hook to the body by Buckland. Paul himself failed to give a stern test to the champion and should probably think about the end of his not-so-illustrious career.
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After a decade of bloody wars it seemed as if Bradley Pryce was next-to-finished last year, when he dropped not one but two close consecutive decisions to Colin Lynes and Sergey Rabchenko in 2011. However, a move to the middleweight division helped the 31-year veteran to use another of his nine lives at a higher weight class. First, Pryce narrowly outpointed Danny Butler and earlier tonight he barely added determined Partick Mendy (13-5, 1 KO) to his list of victims.
The start was harsh for the aging fighter. Mendy used his superior hand speed and physical advantage to outbox and to outpunch the veteran in the first couple of round. The third stanza looked to be a short revival for Pryce who took the end of the round. In the fourth, however, Mendy came back strong and wobbled Bradley at the end of the round with stinging right hands and left uppercuts. The next round was also in his favor, but from that point on it was almost totally Pryce's fight.
The Welshman preserved more power and he used it wisely to his advantage, pressurizing the Gambian native around the ring. Mendy was forced to feel fatigue and suddenly saw his punch output dramatically decrease. Pryce marched forward, eating some leather to deal even more punishment and finished the bout in style with zeal and passion.
After ten rounds, referee Michael Alexander raised Pryce's hand and the score announced was 96-95. BoxingScene had it even before the tenth, which was slightly in Welshman's favour thus making it 96-95 as well. Glenn McRory of Sky Sports broadcast team voted for a draw: 95-95.
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Heavyweight prospect Richard Towers (13-0, 10KOs) stopped Harold Scniers (18-23-2, 11KOs) in the fifth round.
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