In the first round, Conlan came out of the southpaw and followed Walsh into the ring, with little contact until the last minute when they exchanged blows. In the second round, Conlan was cut on the forehead by a clash of heads, and Walsh took the round. In the third, Conlan returned to orthodoxy and ended the round with a better shot. In the final minute of the fourth round, Conlan switched to southpaw for another close round that he seemed to dominate.
In the fifth and sixth rounds, both had their moments, mostly trading jabs, with Conlan having the slight edge. In the seventh, Conlan continued to switch positions. Midway through the round, Walsh may have accidentally kicked Conlan’s leg. It was another close round.
In the eighth round, Conlan clipped a right hand from Walsh, who took the round. The ninth round saw little action until the final minute, when Walsh landed a combination in a close fight.
In the tenth and final round, Walsh came out running, driving Conlan into the corner. That may have been enough to secure the round, as there is little follow through on either fighter.
The scores were 97-93 Conlan, 96-94 Walsh, and 96-94 Walsh.
Referee: Mark Lyson.
In the junior bout Kieran Molloy, 14-0 (7), of Galway, Ireland, defeated Xavier Kohlen, 15-3-1 (7), of Sittard, Netherlands, in 10 rounds to win the vacant IBF European welterweight title.
Molloy won the first two rounds with his jab and occasional left hands to the chin. In the final seconds of the third round, he rocked Kohlen with a left. In the fourth round, Molloy was hit in the bridge of the nose by a clash of heads. In the fifth, Kohlen was cut the same way.
Kohlen returned to take the sixth and seventh rounds. Molloy regained control in the eighth and ninth. In the final round, Molloy put Kohlen in a long fight with a body and head.
The scores were 100-90, 99-91, and 98-92.
Referee: John Latham.
At super middleweight, Niall ‘The Power’ Brown, 18-0 (7), of Stockport, UK, stopped Darren Johnstone, 12-2 (3), of Wishaw, Scotland, in 0:44 of the third round to end a 10-round scheduled British title fight.
Johnstone used his jab early, and Brown responded in the second half of the round with right hands to the body. In the third, a follow-up right hook from Brown dropped Johnstone by referee Victor Loughlin’s eight count. Brown followed, forcing a stoppage.
Jak ‘Wako Jako’ Corrie, 9-0 (6), of Liverpool, stopped southpaw Jacob Quinn, 8-8-1 (0), of Huddersfield, at 2:38 of the second round of the scheduled six rounds.
In the final minute of the first round, Corrie landed a right that drew blood from Quinn’s nose. Early in the second, Corrie dropped Quinn with a right hand for a count of eight. Later in the round, Corrie ended the fight with a body shot and right hand combination.
In the super lightweight, Ben Marksby, 14-0 (3), of Darlington, stopped Carlos Daniel ‘El Zorrito’ Cordoba, 16-13-1 (4), of Tres Arroyos, Argentina, after four of the scheduled eight rounds.
At the end of the fourth round, Cordoba’s corner stopped the fight.
Referee: Eamonn McGill.
In the super featherweight, Code Smith, 9-0-1 (1), of Hull, stopped Lee Gormley, 6-3 (1), of Armagh, at 1:54 of the second round of the scheduled eight rounds, scoring three knockdowns.
Smith dropped Gormley three times in the opening round with right hands before the referee waved it off.
At lightweight, Kurt Walker, 13-1 (2), of Lisburn, defeated Yahir ‘El Tyson’ Alexander Solorio Morales, 6-22-5 (2), of Guadalajara, Mexico, in four rounds.
Referee Dominic Conlin scored it 40-36.
At super welterweight, Kyle Smith, 4-0 (1), of Glengormley, defeated Eduardo ‘Zurdo’ Vera Sanchez, 2-18-2 (0), of Queretaro, Mexico, in four rounds.
Referee Hugh Russell Jr. beat it 40-36.
Ring announcer: Ray Flores.
