BKB 54 is taking place at Manchester’s AO Arena. Here are live results.
BKB 54 Prelims Results
Nathan Conroy def. Zack Hurt-TKO Round 1
Ryan Spivey def. Sam Clarke-KO Round 1
Liam Howell def. Ryan Meer-KO Round 1
Chris Carroll def. Kyle Cassidy-KO Round 2
Dan Catlin def. Tom Mowbray-TKO Round 1
Scott McHugh def. Nick Bass-Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 48-47)
Dec Spelman def. Kevin Greenwood-TKO Round 1
The BKB 54 prelims featured plenty of knockdowns and knockouts. Only one fight went the distance, and four of the matches didn’t make it to round two.
Nathan Conroy successfully debuted with a first round stoppage over Zack Hurt in the first bout. Conroy scored three knockdowns before the fight was stopped.
Ryan Spivey (4-2) then stopped Sam Clarke (2-2) in round one with a right hand, followed by a one-sided win by Liam Howell over Ryan Meer. Meer went down three times before the stoppage.
Chris Carroll (1-2) won his first bare knuckle bout after two losses. Carroll showed good skills in a second round win against Kyle Cassidy (2-3).
Dan Catlin (1-1) was too powerful for Tom “Tits” Mowbray (2-2) in the penultimate prelim. Catlin stopped Mowbray with a beaut of a right hand. Mowbray’s corner had seen enough after “Tits” went down.
Scott McHugh Victorious; Calls Out Paulie
In the final prelim, former champion Scott “The Mute” McHugh showcased the skills that make him one of Britain’s best bare knuckle fighters. McHugh defeated previously unbeaten Nick by unanimous decision.
Bass had success in round one. He landed clean rights and opened a cut on McHugh over the eyes. Bass punched then held in a round that featured a lot of clinches.
McHugh was able to keep distance more often in round two and was more effective. McHugh got the better of the action in the third, and hurt Bass at the close of round four. Bass’s face showed the effects of the battle with swelling and a cut. It looked like McHugh may finish the bout inside the distance.
In the fifth, Bass clinched often and fought in survival mode. The judges’s scores were 50-45 twice, and a bit too close at 48-47, all for McHugh.
McHugh called out Paulie Malignaggi in his postfight interview with Gareth A Davies.
Dec Spelman Blasts Out Kevin Greenwood
In the last prelim, unbeaten former English boxing champion Dec Spelman impressed in his BKB debut. Spelman (4-0) needed less than a round to defeat game veteran Kevin Greenwood (4-4-1).
Spelman showed an educated left hand early, with hooks and jabs. Greenwood kept a high guard but some of Spelman’s shots got through his defence.
Spelman let his hands go and Greenwood, cut on the forehead and with swelling over his left eye, eventually went down from a Spelman right. He bravely got up but the referee waved off the fight.
“I can fight and I’m clever. I think in this game, I really think I’ll go all the way,” Spelman told Gareth Davies after the fight.
