HATTON RETAINS CROWN IN VICTORY OVER MAGEE GROENEWALD WINS WBU TITLE WITH UPSET OVER FARNELL ON SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING FROM MEN ARENA IN MANCHESTER, ENGLAND Photos: TOM CASINO/SHOWTIME Manchester, England (June 1, 2002) - World Boxing Union (WBU) Light Welterweight Champion and World Boxing Organization (WBO) No. 1 contender Ricky "Hitman" Hatton earned a unanimous decision in the seventh defense of his crown over Commonwealth Light Welterweight Champion and World Boxing Council (WBC) No. 4 contender Eamonn Magee. In the 12-round co-feature, Masters Super Middleweight Champion Ruben Groenewald stunned a partisan crowd of over 18,000 by winning the vacant WBU middleweight title with a unanimous decision over hometown hero and WBO Intercontinental Junior Middleweight Champion Anthony Farnell. The June 1 SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING doubleheader from MEN Arena in Manchester, England was promoted by Frank Warren's Sports Network Hatton (29-0,23 KOs), of Manchester, England suffered the first knockdown of his career in the first round after being hit by a counter right hook from Magee (23-3, 18 KOs), of Belfast, Ireland. Unfazed by the knockdown, Hatton rose from the canvas to press the attack against Magee landing punishing body shots on the Irishman. Magee was content to lean against the ropes, invite the Hatton attack and counter-punch. In the early rounds, the Irishman was successful at landing the more powerful shots, but Hatton continued to score with increasing frequency and consistency. In the end, the judges unanimously favored Hatton by scores of 115-112, and 116-111 twice. Groenewald (18-2-3, 6 KOs), of Brakpan, South Africa won the vacant WBU middleweight title in a bloody, foul-filled affair over Farnell (29-2, 20 KOs), of Manchester, England. The gritty South African survived cuts over both eyes, several low blows and two knockdowns to win a unanimous decision by scores of 114-110, and 113-111 twice. Farnell seemed to be winning comfortably by the middle rounds and managed to shut Groenewald's right eye in the seventh. The Manchester native went on to score an eighth round knockdown from a low blow that was missed by referee Dave Paris. Groenewald retaliated with a low blow of his own and Farnell would later be penalized two points for low blows in the ninth and eleventh rounds. In an impressive display of courage, Groenewald got up from the canvas in Round 12 after being knocked down by a spectacular Farnell combination to finish the fight. |