This was a superior city.
Former Commonwealth light heavyweight champion Lyndon Arthur returned to action with a sixth-round knockout of Argentina’s Walter Sequeira at the Bolton Whites Hotel in Bolton, England on Saturday.
Arthur, 31, scored two right uppercut takedowns in Round 3 and the visitor had borrowed time thereafter. Arthur played along for the rest of the fight, but another right hand in the sixth prompted referee Bob Williams to stop the action.
There were six pounds between the fighters at the official weigh-in for this scheduled eight-round bout (183 Arthur and 177 Sequeira), but it literally looked like the pair were separated by two divisions. Arthur was huge in comparison.
For the most part, Sequeira found himself at the end of the steady jab, though the visitor did have some success when he dropped his hands. However, after being booked by trainer Pat Barrett, Arthur shifted up a couple of gears and took control. It was an easy job from then on.
The 31-year-old Arthur (19-1, 13 KOs) was returning to action for the first time since losing his unbeaten record to countryman Anthony Yarde via fourth-round knockout. A year earlier, the 31-year-old had beaten Yarde on points, but he was completely overwhelmed in the rematch.
Sequeira drops to 25-10-1 (17 KOs).
The fight of the night was a fight for the British lightweight championship between the Welsh.
Gavin Gwynne (15-2-1, 3 KOs) retained the prestigious title by virtue of a 12-round majority decision draw over Craig Woodruff. A judge scored the fight 116-113 for Gwynne, but it was overruled by two points 114-114.
Both men covered themselves in glory as they engaged in a fierce battle from start to finish. Woodruff (12-6-1, 4 KOs) initially boxed on the back foot and employed some good switch-hitting tactics, but was only too happy to participate as the fight progressed.
A rematch seems natural.
At junior middleweight, undefeated Troy Williamson (19-0-1, 13 KOs) stopped Argentina’s David Benitez in six rounds.
Williamson did what he had to do with a relatively dull performance, but the good news for UK fans is that he will now face compatriot Josh Kelly in a defense of the British junior middleweight title.
