George Liddard didn’t have it all his own way but got the job done in a career-best challenge against Derrick Osaze, while Junaid Bostan had to settle for a split draw with an inspired Bilal Fawaz during the evening’s chief support bout.
George Liddard declared he was made for the big stage earlier this week and would’ve learned plenty en route to an impressive 10-round decision win over Derrick Osaze as the unbeaten middleweight secured the Commonwealth Silver title, his first in the paid ranks.
97-93, 96-94, 96-94 read the scorecards and while boos briefly rang around the O2’s indigo, he will be itching for more in 2025 after passing a stern test against seasoned opposition on Matchroom’s NXTGN show, live on DAZN.
“This is just the start, two ten-rounders scheduled in six weeks against an experienced operator. He was busy but I landed the better shots all night. 22 and headlining for Matchroom, I’m just pleased to be a champion. I want big fights, a little break and then go again, make this worth it,” he said in his post-fight interview.
Eddie Hearn praised the matchmaking again afterwards before full Commonwealth champion Kieron Conway (22-3-1, 6 KOs) was mentioned as a possible future opponent, as he looks to continue progressing the levels.
They exchanged jabs early, Liddard working smartly downstairs and finding a home through the 31-year-old’s defensive guard for good measure too.
Six months removed from his stunning second-round stoppage defeat by Denzel Bentley, you couldn’t help wondering how well the older man could take a big punch after swaying ominously on the back foot in stages of the opening stanza.
Liddard found his rhythm early and was unbothered by the power shots whizzing back as the West Ham supporter, complete with their claret and blue colours accompanying gold trim, smiled as he engaged Osaze at close-range.
Uppercuts, pawing shots, body attacks and even tongues wagging at one another after six minutes, both were having fun. Not for long.
Osaze was guilty of smothering his work in the clinch, as well-intentioned as it was, while Liddard boxed and moved whenever he pleased, landing the more spiteful punches even when the 15-fight veteran threw more.
Timely head movement and patience helped lift the 22-year-old’s spirits, before landing a lovely combination which had Osaze briefly retreating and the crowd stirring early as round four unfolded.
Much like his stablemate and divisional counterpart Jimmy Sains (9-0, 9 KOs) produced an hour earlier on the undercard, patience would’ve been stressed for Liddard and he needed it during a scrappy fifth.
Referee Marcus McDonnell admonished him for dirty boxing, while Osaze had the youngster tangled up against the ropes in the last stages of a stanza suggesting this would limp to a 10-round decision.
In the sixth, it seemed like they had an informal agreement to go punch-for-punch in the pocket and that tactic wasn’t exactly a smart strategy for Osaze but neither refused to take a backwards step.
Fans were more interested in watching your obligatory fight-in-the-crowd while you could hear others praise Osaze for refusing to box tentatively after that highlight reel knockout at his expense last Aug. 17.
Speaking of that night, Osaze landed a series of uppercuts early in the eighth but Liddard refused to give him a moment’s rest whenever he enjoyed sustained success.
Stubbornly walking forward, the Billericay man couldn’t help himself engaging up close when maintaining distance would’ve been the wiser choice.
Osaze’s veteran savvy was clear down the stretch as he used all the tools at his disposal, elbows and head included, to make this rougher and more complicated than Liddard’s team would’ve liked.
Liddard’s power advantage was still obvious in round nine though, again perhaps guilty of being outworked but pinging Osaze’s head back on the odd occasion that a haymaker would present itself.
After both were warned to start round ten, the noise swelled and flurries continued landing clean for both as many hoped they could conjure up a dramatic finish.
Osaze demonstratively refused to be pushed back, Liddard landed a nice shot late and they embraced at the final bell after a hard night’s work – both could be proud of their efforts.
Bostan left bamboozled by deceptive Fawaz
Junaid Bostan didn’t have it all his own way, dancing with danger and fortunate to avoid being knocked down at least once, but emerged from a scrappy 10-round affair against Bilal Fawaz with his unbeaten record intact after a split draw.
97-93 Fawaz, 96-94 Bostan, 95-95 read the scorecards as the English super-welterweight championship last held by Lee Cutler (15-1, 7 KOs) remained vacant.
On a night where Matchroom’s young prospects were expected to be tested as they step up the levels, this encounter ultimately proved a fitting co-feature, preceding Liddard-Osaze.
Bostan (10-0-1, 8 KOs) didn’t know what to make of Fawaz (9-1-1, 3 KOs) during fight week, at times engaging in the pantomime of it all and others, genuinely confused why a man 14 years his senior – privileged to be at this level – felt he had a serious chance.
One swing round here and Fawaz would’ve pulled off the upset. This proved precisely the sort of character-building contest needed, if he’s to reach his Starboy potential.
Intent on showing a perceived difference in levels, you saw why early — sharp jabs and one-two combination punching were ever-present from Bostan’s hands from the opening minute.
Fawaz’s wild swings were met with showmanship after a tense opener, the underdog walking forward intently to start the second and being met with resistance aplenty while being more positive and by the same token, wading into the fire.
His high guard emboldened him forward before the referee admonished the 36-year-old for throwing uppercuts in the clinch after he’d told them to break, though Bostan was taking his time while Fawaz expended energy to largely hit air. More of the same came in the third, Bostan’s single shots doing enough to score cleanly.
Midway through the fourth, Fawaz should’ve been awarded a knockdown after a right-left flurry at close-range wobbled Bostan, needing the ropes to hold himself up. Suddenly, this was bubbling up nicely and the heavy underdog should’ve spent more time engaging, rather than pretending to play possum and giving the unbeaten prospect a chance at respite.
More of the same came in the fifth, Fawaz taking the shine off some effective work with needless histrionics as Bostan looked to punch with him in the pocket, though this was increasingly scrappy.
Early in the sixth, Bostan landed a crowd-pleasing left hook before Fawaz fired back with more flurries and a beautiful straight right as the aggressor’s confidence grew.
There was a sense of deja vu in the seventh, Bostan landing a nice right early before Fawaz took over the round and unloaded combinations against a weary-looking favourite in the corner. An uppercut through the guard, followed by sweeping shots prompted a cry of “hands up!” from the Rotherham talent’s ringside supporters, noticeably reduced output and the youngster needed a second wind.
Overextending in the eighth and circling the ring, the round’s most notable moment came at the end as referee Lee Every signalled for a timeout, was ignored, before giving a stern warning in Fawaz’s direction.
Lectured for 20 seconds before the ninth began, Bilal found a home for straight shots and let his hands go as Bostan’s intermittent attacks persisted.
Fawaz flickered between frustrating and fantastic in the finale, waiting too long to capitalise on a visibly fatigued Bostan, before unleashing hellacious work with straight punches and more clever punching at close-range in the last minute.
“Even a blind man can see he was outboxed! All we can do is our best, he’s a great fighter but I’m better,” Fawaz stressed post-fight before tensions predictably rose between them, standing side-by-side pre-emptively building an immediate rematch.
Matchroom chief Eddie Hearn said he scored it 6-4 in Bostan’s favour after appearing to edge the final two rounds, while the Rotherham resident expressed his desire to atone for a disappointing display by headlining a future show in Sheffield.
“It was a close fight and could’ve gone either way. No excuses but Bilal didn’t do anything I wasn’t expecting… that was his best, I should’ve been better on the night. A draw in my head is a loss, another dead performance, let me get my lick back.”
Undercard results
Middleweight: Jimmy Sains TKO7 (2:33) Pierre Rosadini
Super-featherweight: Giorgio Visioli RTD5 (3:00) Francisco Javier Lucero
Super-middleweight: Taylor Bevan TKO2 (1:31) Szymon Kajda
Lightweight: Jesse Brandon PTS6 (60-54) Jonatas Rodrigo Gomes de Oliveira
Middleweight: Emmanuel Buttigieg PTS6 (58-56) James Todd
Women’s flyweight: Maisey Rose Courtney PTS6 (60-54) Jasmina Nad
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes procured myself
Mo and Sports 