By Alexey Sukachev

Echo Arena, Liverpool, Merseyside - Heavyweight contender David Price (15-2, 13KOs) came close to getting revenge, but veteran Tony Thompson (38-3, 26KOs) battled back and got the TKO win in the fifth round. In February, Thompson stopped Price in the second round of a shocking upset and now repeats to show the first win was no fluke.

In the second, Price rocked Thompson and then later dropped him hard with a big right hand. Thompson barely made it up with a few seconds remaining. At the start of the third, Price rocked Thompson again. Thompson came back with both hands swinging as they traded hard shots.

They went back to trading in the fourth. Thompson was landing big shots to the head and body of Price. In the final minute Thompson had Price, who looked very tired, reeling. At the start of the fifth, Thompson was battering Price against the ropes. He wasn't defending himself and was issued a count by the ref. The referee waved it off as Price was hurt and very exhausted.

-----------------------

Kevin Satchell (11-0, 2 KOs), 24, got an absolutely undeserved twelve-round decision over extremely willing and skilled Scottish challenger Iain Butcher (8-1, 2 KOs) to retain his BBBofC British and Commonwealth flyweight titles for the second time. Satchell was badly shaken and floored in the second and fought on wobbly legs during the fight, but somehow got the better of the Scottsman with close scores: 115-113 (John Keane and Victor Loughlin) and 115-114 (Marcus McDonnell). BoxingScene had it otherwise: 115-112 - for Butcher, who should be proud of his performance tonight.

Satchell didn't start the fight well. He didn't use his height advantage and was often touched by the Baby Butcher. The second round was the champ's pure catastrophe, as he was clipped hard by the 21-year old challenger. Midst into the second stanza, Satchell ate a huge overhand right to the temple, then stumbled, ate more leather and finally went down with another right hand. He survived the round but was in a world of shock. He did recover though and took the third with his classy skills. The next three rounds were back-and-fourth, as Butcher connected well to the body of taller, leaner fighter in the champion, whilst Satchell did his share of damage with sharp jab and occasional right clubbers.

Midst into the fight, the control was taken by Butcher. he marched forward and landed more blows than he ate in return. With a chip on his shoulder, the challenger walked through not-so-potent jab of the champion to score with more telling power. Satchell was rocked several times in rounds seven, eight and ten, despite looking on even terms with the Scottish opponent in the ninth. The champion dug really deep to mount his aim back and to score more with the blows of his own in the championship stanzas, but it looked like it wasn't enough. Butcher, on the other hand, was firm in his movements and, unlike Satchell didn't have a look of a beaten fighter.

-----------------------

Southpaw middleweight Neil L. Perkins (4-0, 1 KOs) decisioned 20-year old late sub Dan Blackwell (3-21) over six workmanlike rounds. The sole score (by the referee) was 60-54 - for Perkins.

-----------------------

BBBofC British light welterweight titlist Darren Hamilton (14-2, 3 KOs) retained his domestic regalia for the second time byt outpointing determined challenger and former Prizefighter series' winner Adil Anwar over twelve foul-filled rounds. Scores were: 116-113, 117-112 and 118-112 - all for Hamilton, who acquired his belt in a hard fight with Ashley Theophane a year ago. BoxingScene was in agreement with the second judge.

Both battlers started the bout very dirty. Many clinches, more holding and even more punches at the back of the hand (from Hamilton). The champion moved forward, while Anwar was content dancing circles over him with an occasional jab. Anwar was better in the third, and both fighters traded rounds four and five between each other. As the show progressed, Anwar (ironically eight years younger than the champion at 26) began to feel fatigue. Hamilton grew big with hard right crosses, and Anwar felt his power. Rounds six, seven and eight were in Hamilton's favour. The challenger has probably taken the ninth, but Hamilton was victorious in the closing three stanzas. He was close to stop Anwar in the twelfth but the challenger survived the distance. Adil Anwar is now 19-2, with 7 KOs.

-----------------------