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LIVE UPDATES – All Eyez on Brussels 2 – Five Irish Boxers in Belgium

As the name of the card suggests, all eyes will be on Brussels tonight as five Irish boxers take to the ring in the Belgian capital.

There is plenty to sink our teeth into on the bill topped by Anass Messauodi v Keane McMahon which also features Ryan O’Rourke, Tony Browne, John Cooney, and debutant Christian Preston.

Irish-Boxing.com will be ringside, virtually, at the Claridge Events Centre and will be providing round-by-round updates on the pay-per-view card.

The card is available on Facebook pay-per-view at a cost of ā‚¬7.99. Click HERE to purchase.

#AllEyezOnBrussels2

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9:13pm – Game performance from McMahon, showed some moments of class, but Messaoudi was just too strong in the end. The Dubliner drops to 6(3)-2(1).

Round 6 – McMahon doesn’t come out for the sixth round, it’s all over. TKO Messaoudi.

Round 5 – Messaoudi makes his breakthrough, a left hook to the body sends McMahon down. He had softened him up there moments before. McMahon rises but is sent down again right on the bell. Up again, he survives. Just.

Round 4 – McMahon is hanging in here but all the aggression is coming from Messaoudi.

Round 3 – Messaoudi opening up now. Lands a lovely uppercut as McMahon’s feet are starting to slow. ‘The Iceman’ is battling gamely, though, and grins through a barrage in the closing seconds.

Round 2 – Heating up already and Messaoudi is in range landing bombs, McMahon digging away to the body looking to keep a foothold.

Round 1 – McMahon starts by pumping out the jab as Messaoudi looks to land the big left hook. The Dubliner is doing very well and should take that on the cards but the power of Messaoudi is a continuous threat.

8:49pm – Main event up now. Lots of support here for Messaoudi but McMahon doesn’t look particularly fazed.

8:41pm – And we’re straight into the main event, Keane McMahon looking to cause an upset out of the away corner versus Belgian golden boy Anass Messaoudi. Eight rounds at welter.

8:39pm – That result sees Browne slip to 5(1)-1(0). Tough one to take for the Dubliner but he’ll be back.

8:38pm – We go to the cards and it’s heartbreak for Tony Browne. Chico Kwasi gets it on a unanimous decision 79-73, 78-74, and 77-75.

Round 8 – Nice uppercut to start the final stanza for Browne but Kwasi comes back with one of his own. It’s quiet and could go either way as the bell rings. Kwasi thinks he has it!

Round 7 – Messy round, lots of clinching. Browne’s corner imploring him to work, he looks exhausted but is still catching Kwasi.

Round 6 – Browne’s face is a mess but this has been one of his better rounds, sneaking home shots and avoiding a lot of Kwasi’s work.

Round 5 – Both sets of fans chanting as the pair engage. It’s really opening up as Browne slugs to the body, he’s the aggressor here but how are the judges seeing it?

Round 4 – Better stuff from Browne in the fourth who looks to have scored a flash knockdown of the perennially off-balance Kwasi but it is ruled a slip. The Dutch kickboxer comes back with a pair of solid right hands before the pair tangle awakwardly at the close. Kwasi rouses the crowd and Steven O’Rourke gets into a roaring match with the opposite corner. War coming here.

Round 3 – Kwasi’s unorthodox shots from range are piercing the guard of Browne, who is bloodied and may need to go through the gears in the coming rounds.

Round 2 – Switch-hitting, Browne is picking some nice punches and landing regularly with the jab but Kwasi is just so big and strong.

Round 1 – Browne raids in early catching Kwasi clean. The Dutchman is awkward but aggressive, landing some heavy-looking shots with his long levers and stunning Browne – who had been timing him well – at the bell.

7:59pm – Nice and quick there. Tony Browne coming to the ring now for eight rounds versus Chico Kwasi – who enters wearing a lovely hat.

7:50pm – Local prospect in the ring now before we have the latest instalment in Tony Browne’s journey.

7:45pm – We go to the cards after 24 high-paced minutes and O’Rourke gets it on a unanimous decision – 79-73, 80-72, 80-72. He now moves to 8(1)-0. Fair play to him, what an athlete and some very impressive boxing too.

Round 8 – It’s a small ring in Brussels and that was perhaps a worry beforehand but O’Rourke is bullying Mendes here, cornering, and punishing the durable Dutch fighter and almost stopping him against the ropes in the closing seconds. Great finish, great performance from Ryan O’Rourke.

Round 7 – It’s gruelling in the penultimate round. O’Rourke has retained the sharpness in his punches, though, and is staying in control.

Round 6 – Some looping lefts from Mendes manage to sneak through but they are laughed off by O’Rourke who is looking strong and fit. Things really start to heat up in the closing 30 seconds as a left hand in the corner has Mendes hurt and the pair trade furiously on the ropes.

Round 5 – As we enter into the second half of the bout, the pair are warned about their heads. O’Rourke starting to open up and manages to send Mendes’s gumshield flying with a perfect combination. The kickboxer is dangerous with hooks out of the crouch but O’Rourke is in complete control.

Round 4 – Mendes swinging wildly and is busy in close but the quality is all from O’Rourke who even indulges in a bit of showboating at the midway point.

Round 3 – O’Rourke is really digging in to the body, trying to slow Mendes down. It’s been very good from the Irishman so far, setting a good pace and catching a lot of the Dutch fighter’s shots on the gloves. Mendes looks to be getting a little frustrated.

Round 2 – Mendes comes out aggressively to start, winging in shots but O’Rourke is showing impressive physicality up close. It’s messy and high-paced.

Round 1 – O’Rourke warned twice immediately for palming-off with the lead hand but he has it all his own way in the opener with Mendes staying in his shell as the Dubliner probes the body.

7:09pm – This could be a very tough fight for the Dublin light welter but O’Rourke is confident.

7:08pm – Aaaaaand we’re back. Time for Ryan O’Rourke v Wilson Mendes. I cannot wait for this fight!

6:10pm – Intermission now and we’ll be back with the main fights around 7!

6:07pm – We go to the cards and it a win for Cooney! A split-decision win for Cooney, somehow, 59-55, 58-56 and a quite bizarre 58-56 for Turco.

Round 6 – Looking to measure Turco, Cooney lands from range and then huts the Belgian to the body and starts piling in looking for the stoppage but the veteran is able to stay up – just. We go the distance!

Round 5 – Turco looks to trade and it’s a war. Cooney on top and the Belgian looks ragged! Sags against the ropes and is taking a lot of shots but makes it through to the bell.

Round 4 – Cooney the aggressor and he’s looking to bully Turco – whose output has dropped slightly.

Round 3 – Really opening up now, both swinging. A straight left hand from Cooney draws ‘oohs’ but Turco hits right back with an overhand right. Good fight, Cooney landing just that little bit more.

Round 2 – Cooney bosses the first half, looking strong but Turco grows into the round, finishing well.

Round 1 – Southpaw Cooney looks to be heavy-handed, landing well but taking a few in return from Turco. The O’Rourke’s Gym fighter makes a big breakthrough in the closing 30 seconds, hurting Turco to the body but the Belgian recovers well.

5:40pm – Cooney, like Preston before him, coming to the ring to EuroPop. Probably not their choice.

5:34pm – Yes, Cooney up now looking to move to 5-0. Turco a former Belgian champ who should be his toughest test yet.

5:32pm Welch gets the second round stoppage and NOW it’s time for Cooney-Turco (going by the running order).

5:27pm – Brighton’s Tommy Welch in a Joker mask waving two Union Jacks and walking into the ring to Gary Glitter’s Rock and Roll (Part 2). Okay.

5:21pm – Nope, it’s heavyweight. Mistake from the MC! Cooney-Turco coming up later.

5:19pm – In a change to the running order, John Cooney v Angelo Turco is up now. Six rounds at super feather. Turco gave Niall O’Connor a good fight back in March so it should be tough for Cooney.

5:18pm – Fast start for Christian Preston.

5:10pm – Did a bit of checking there. Preston had his man down in four seconds and there was a full ten-count, Sean Turner put his debut opponent down in three seconds and it was waved off moments later back in 2014 so, amazingly, it’s not an Irish record.

4:56pm Will be a bit of a gap now until Cooney but our old friend Zsoltan Szabo is coming to the ring now for a fight with a Belgian prospect.

4:54pm – Well that was quick. Can’t really take anything from that but fair play to Preston for getting the job done.

Round 1 – Poor David is down inside 5 seconds and it’s all over! KO1 Christian Preston!!!!

4:47pm – Finally live and we’re straight into Christian Preston’s debut. He fights a Polish debutant called David.

4:19pm Informed by the promoter that the boxing will begin in “about 20 minutes.” You’re not missing anything.

4:10pm – Don’t adjust your laptops, the stream isn’t live yet. Preston is due to be the first fight.

4:08pm First up is C4 Christian Preston who is hoping to look explosive (boom boom) in his professional debut. It’s been a long time coming for the Dublin welter who has been training in O’Rourke’s Gym as a pro for over a year now. He has had to contend with a late change in opposition and now fights, we’re told, a Polish debutant. More when we get it.

4:00pm – Get the beers and waffles in, we’re ready for some boxing. There are ten fights in total tonight and the five of Irish interest are at the following, approximate, times.

Christian Preston v TBC (4:20pm)
John Cooney v Angelo Turco (5:40pm)
Ryan O’Rourke v WilsonMendes (7:05pm)
Tony Browne v Chico Kwasi (8:15pm)
Anass Messaoudi v Keane McMahon (9:15pm)

Joe O'Neill

Reporting on Irish boxing the past five years. Work has appeared on irish-boxing.com, Boxing News, the42.ie, and local and national media. Provide live ringside updates, occasional interviews, and special features on the future of Irish boxing. email: joneill6@tcd.ie

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