Table of Content
Former British Olympian Cheavon Clarke secured a major upset victory on Saturday, stopping former cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith in the seventh round of the main event at Zuffa Boxing 12 in London. Clarke, who previously defeated Billam-Smith twice during their amateur days, delivered a powerful performance inside the Copper Box Arena.
Clarke Overcomes Odds in London Main Event
Fighting as a significant underdog against the nearly 5-to-1 betting favorite, Clarke (13-2, 10 KOs) dropped Billam-Smith twice in the seventh round before referee Lee Every stopped the bout at the 1:24 mark while Billam-Smith was pinned against the ropes. Nicknamed “C4,” the Jamaica native who trains in the U.K. credited his opponent’s past championship status after the fight, stating they share no lingering animosity from their 2016 amateur meetings in the British national championships and English Title Series.
The scheduled 10-round bout was physical from the opening bell as both fighters battled on the inside, resulting in frequent clinches throughout the first half of the fight. Billam-Smith, a 36-year-old U.K. fighter coming off a Zuffa debut victory over Ryan Rozicki in June, targeted the body aggressively before Clarke shifted the momentum in the fifth round by landing a clean right cross from a distance.
Clarke opened the seventh round with a clean knockdown from a right hand. Although Billam-Smith beat the count, a subsequent right hand put him down a second time, leaving his legs wobbled and prompting the referee to wave off the contest. Billam-Smith expressed a desire for a rematch following his third career loss.
Denzel Bentley Wins Zuffa Debut
In the co-feature, former middleweight titleholder Denzel Bentley successfully navigated a competitive 10-round bout against veteran Shane Mosley Jr., earning a unanimous decision with judges’ scores of 96-93, 95-94, and 96-94. Bentley, a 31-year-old fighting in his home city, weathered a strong effort from Mosley (23-6, 13 KOs)—the 35-year-old son of Hall of Famer Shane Mosley Sr.—who recovered after being dropped by a crushing right hand in the second round.
Bentley (23-3-1, 18 KOs), who was stripped of his WBO middleweight title last month ahead of his promotional debut, fended off Mosley down the stretch. Following the victory, Bentley expressed interest in facing WBC middleweight titleholder Carlos Adames or calling out Conor Benn, who watched the event from ringside.
Da’Mazion Vanhouter Extends Knockout Streak
Undefeated 21-year-old heavyweight prospect Da’Mazion Vanhouter continued his dominant run with a first-round knockout of Ivan Balaz (9-2, 7 KOs). Vanhouter (14-0, 11 KOs) floored Balaz three times with punishing body shots before referee Kieran McCann halted the action at 2:04 of the opening round.
The victory marks Vanhouter’s eighth consecutive knockout and his fourth straight stoppage within three rounds since signing with the promotion. Following the event in London, UFC president and CEO Dana White stated his intention to book Vanhouter for a fifth fight of the year on December 11 in Wales, targeted for the undercard featuring the heavyweight clash between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
