Macaulay McGowan was denied a proper ring entrance and an upset win.

The visiting Brit was forced to settle for a majority draw versus unbeaten Farrhad Saad in their eight-round middleweight contest. Saad was awarded a 77-75 verdict on one card, overruled by scores of 76-76 in the view of the remaining two judges in the opening ESPN+/Canal+/Sky Sports televised bout Saturday evening at Zenith de Paris-La Villette in Paris, France.

McGowan was irritated even before making his way to the arena floor, as the house DJ botched his ring entrance music. He reluctantly came out of the tunnel, prepared to build on his current three-fight win streak versus confidence-restoring competition. It worked, as the 28-year-old Manchester native jumped out to a strong start versus the deliberate Saad, who was fighting for the first time in more than two years.

McGowan worked the body and enjoyed frequent success with his left hook. Saad was reluctant to let his hands go, habitually conditioned to go the distance as the Frenchman has yet to score a knockout through nine pro fights.

Momentum and ring generalship remained with the visiting McGowan throughout the first half of the contest. Saad stood directly in front of the Brit, who connected with right hands around his opponent’s high guard and also slammed home a left hand upstairs in round five.

Saad attempted to take the lead in round six, touching the body with right hands. McGowan came back power shots of his own to remain in control of the action. It changed in a big way late in round seven, when Saad landed a straight left that briefly stunned McGowan. A right hand connected for the unbeaten Frenchman moments later in the round, prompting a clinch from McGowan to regain his composure.

McGowan was forced to contend with a cut under the right eye in the eighth and final round. Saad continued to apply pressure, to which McGowan responded with rapid-fire combinations to the body along with a right hand and left hook upstairs. Saad briefly turned the tide with a left hand but also landed a right hand to the base of McGowan’s skull which went undisciplined by the pedestrian referee.

Saad is now 8-0-2 (0KOs), though with plenty of work ahead and perhaps a greater rate of activity. Saturday’s bout was his first since a March 2021 win over Borislav Ivanov.

McGowan is now 17-3-2 (3KOs) after the awfully scored contest. He remains unbeaten in his past four starts since a ten-round loss to Sergio Martinez last January 27, after which a review of the fight on these pages prompted McGowan to refer to this reporter as a 'Patrick Star looking motherf-----.' (Writer’s note: he’s not wrong)

Headlining the show, 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Tony Yoka (11-1, 9KOs) faces former heavyweight title challenger Carlos Takam (39-7-1, 28KOs). Yoka aims to rebound from his first career defeat, having not fought since a ten-round points loss to Martin Bakole last May 14 in his Paris hometown.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for krikya360.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox