Next up…Ball challenges Ford for WBA Featherweight crown.
A fantastic start and much more to come…
‘I’m young, hungry, sexy and taking over the world’ – Hutchinson
Steady on son! The new WBC Silver champion is understandably in buoyant mood.
Hutchinson wins by unanimous decision! 1-0 To Queensberry
The Hutch Train wins 116-112, 117-111 and 119-109 on the scorecards, the third a little lengthy for my tastes.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 12
Richards this time seems slower and is caught with regularity by Hutchinson who engages in showboating in the closing moments of the fight.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 11
Richards still walking down his who looks kike he might have felt the effects more from the epic 10th. Richards lands right hands that have Hutchinson wobbling, but the Scot weathers the storm and comes back with shots of his own. Richards’ round but he needs to step up in the next round.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 10
Richards was sent out to land bombs and he dominated the first minute but Hutchinson came back with a big right hand, left hook combination which tuned the tide and for a moment it looked like he might stop Richards against the ropes. Showing his warrior spirit Richards recovered to land a big left hook at the end of the round.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 9
Richards remains too tentative. It does feel boxer’s ultimate opponent, father time, may well have caught up with him – enabling Hutchinson to do the same. Richards is walking him down but Hutchinson is quicker to the punch when he gets there.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 8
Hutchinson not looking quite as sharp and more open to shots as his unconventional defence leaves holes for Richards. Still, Hutchinson landed the more power shots.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 7
Richards enjoys his best moment of the fight as it moves into the second half. A fairly close round to call.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 6
Richards seems to be hoping Hutchinson slows down as the rounds go on but he is not making things difficult for his opponent at all. Richards is landing some shots to the body, but too infrequently and when Hutchinson lands it is more telling.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 5
A fantastic flurry from Hutchinson, landing a flurry of shots. Richards takes a good shot but he needs to find a way of discouraging Hutchinson who is building up a big lead.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 4
Richards a little more aggressive and mixing his shots up a little but again is vulnerable to right hands from Hutchinson.
‘I’ll hate his guts if he wins’
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 3
A better round for Richards, until Hutchinson landed with a couple of big right hands over a slow jab from the Matchroom man. Enough to give the Scot another round.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 2
Hutchinson landed a nice left hook pinning Richards briefly on the ropes and then later a straight right hand. Richards looks a little tentatative. He is landing more but the switch-hitting Scot the harder shots. Hutchinson’s round.
Hutchinson-Richards: Round 1
Richards looking to control with the jab, with Hutchinson patient but throwing with more bad intentions when he got up close.
The fighters are in the ring…
A strange atmosphere for these pugilists. Very glitzy, but few of their fans in attendance to cheer them on.
Willy Hutchinson v Craig Richards up first…
Matchroom’s man Craig Richards (22-3, 11 KOs) is the favourite going into this fight. He is the older fighter though, at 34, has father time caught up with him? Willy Hutchinson (18-1, 17 KOs) is certainly a progressive fighter though worthy of stepping up in class as he is tonight.
We are now live!
Queensberry v Matchroom: 5 vs 5
Zhilei Zhang v Deontay Wilder (c) — heavyweights
Daniel Dubois v Filip Hrgovic — heavyweights
Hamzah Sheeraz (c) v Austin Williams — middleweights
Nick Ball v Raymond Ford — for the WBA featherweight title
Willy Hutchinson v Craig Richards — light heavyweights
One point for a win. Two points for as knockout win. Captain’s points count double.
Dmitry Bivol v Malik Zinad meet for the WBA light heavyweight title
The action begins at 1900
You do not need to be a TNT Sports subscriber to buy this event.
EE TV – Customers can purchase the event via their STB on channel 494.
HELLO AND WELCOME…
Queensberry v Matchroom 5 v 5 full card
Deontay Wilder v Zhilei Zhang — heavyweights
Filip Hrgovic v Daniel Dubois — heavyweights
Dmitry Bivol v Malik Zinad — for the WBA light heavyweight title
Hamzah Sheeraz v Austin Williams — middleweights
Raymond Ford v Nick Ball — for the WBA featherweight title
Willy Hutchinson v Craig Richards — light heavyweights
How to watch 5 v 5, Zhang v Wilder live on TNT Sports Box Office
EE TV – Customers can purchase the event via their STB on channel 494.
How does the scoring work for 5 v 5?
The 5 v 5 scoring system will award the fighter’s team 1 point for a decision win, 2 points for a KO/TKO win and 0 points for a draw, with captain’s points worth double.
Team Queensberry will be captained by Hamzah Sheeraz and Team Matchroom captained by Deontay Wilder.