GLASGOW, Scotland – Moses Itauma said that he would try to make quick work of the American Mike Balogun, and he did just that, dropping his opponent three times in two rounds.
The southpaw rattled Balogun with an early left hand, and seconds later floored him for an eight count with the same shot. It was a hard knockdown, and the American plummeted face first, but he returned to his feet to make it through the remainder of the round, with his corner urging: “Box, Mike – box”.
Early in the second, a sweeping right hook caused him to land flat on his back for another count. Balogun stood once more, but as he desperately lunged forwards Itauma landed another right hook that seemed the lift the 41 year old off his feet and dump him on to the mat where the referee, John Latham, instantly waved it off.
It was confirmed as over after 46 seconds of round two.
“He is a tough cookie,” said Itauma. “I was catching him clean. Even that second one, I turned round and he was trying to get up. Fair play to him. I knew that this was his big chance. I like to appreciate Mike Balogun for taking this opportunity, because not a lot of people would.”
The Ben Davison-trained Itauma, who only turned 20 in December, improves to 12-0 (10 KOs).
Balogun, a left-hander who fights out of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, played football at a high-level, but Itauma is not just tipped for a high level. His predicted ascent is to the summit. Balogun drops to 21-2 (16 KOs).
Aloys Youmbi had by then scored a vicious one-punch knockout of David Jamieson to silence the jeers at the Hydro Arena.
The London cruiserweight contender dropped Scotland’s Jamieson three times in three rounds, including with the final emphatic left hand that dumped the crowd favorite flat on his back.
Jamieson made a bullish start and was unafraid to let big shots go. But Youmbi found a gap with a body shot and near the end of the session Jamieson hit the canvas. He rose, complaining of a shot behind the head, but it was called a knockdown. Jamieson had bent low and he’d caught a shot around the ear.
Both looked for right hands in round two but Jamieson was down again following a right uppercut and right hand. Jamieson’s previously vocal support were by now in a hushed murmur. Youmbi had done his bit to quieten the home crowd.
Jamieson tried to rally in the third but he was caught by an early left hook and the power from his own shots seemed to be decreasing and then, when he leaned away from a shot, he bent into a huge left hook that left him flat on his back looking at the ring lights after 1.54 of the third. He recovered with oxygen while sitting on his stool, and then sportingly went and rose the victor’s hand.
To his credit, Youmbi did not celebrate, having embraced the villain’s role this fight week. He had walked to the ring wearing a crown, but he left it donning a 10-1 (9 KOs) record.
Scotland’s Jamieson, 13-4 (10 KOs), 11 years older at 33 and from East Kilbride, had been outgunned. He had won his past three since being stopped in five rounds by the former Olympian Cheavon Clarke.
“Lightning” Reese Lynch was too big, too good, and punched too hard for Brazil’s Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Olivera, who he stopped in two rounds.
It was one-sided, and the second was particularly brutal for the visitor, and he finished the round – and the fight – face down on the canvas having been shaken up and overwhelmed by the promising southpaw debutant and former amateur star. The Brazilian is 6-27; it was all over at the 3.00 mark of the second.