LIVERPOOL – Lee Cutler after 10 thrilling rounds on the undercard of Natasha Jonas vs. Ivana Habazin in Liverpool, England , defeated Stephen McKenna by majority decision.
Cutler defied the odds, defeating McKenna twice on his way to victory so far in his career.
Cutler, who currently has a record of 15-1 (7 KOs), was the better of the two early in the fight, sliding in on McKenna’s straight shots and countering well. McKenna’s confidence began to grow as the round wore on, but Cutler ended the situation by forcing the Irishman to land a right hand.
McKenna currently has a record of 15 wins and 1 loss (14 KOs). He showed more aggression in the second game and seemed annoyed with his performance in the previous game. Cutler met him head-on and stayed close, trading with McKenna and getting the more dramatic shots.
McKenna seemed to find his range early in the third quarter, keeping Cutler at bay with his straight shot before turning around. However, Cutler once again used his movement to cut inside and land a left hook to end the round on a strong note.
The fourth was scrappy, with both men sitting in the pocket and trading hooks to the head and body. McKenna saw merit in the move, but Cutler seemed to be shooting the ball well.
McKenna kept the pressure on in the fifth and finished with a cleaner job. The Bournemouth man looked to be wilting under McKenna’s pressure in the fifth, but he answered calls from his McGuigan Stadium stablemates on the sidelines and finished the round superbly.
Cutler finished seventh with more confidence after the previous round. He pressed McKenna and the Irishman seemed to start to tire. An exhausted McKenna took a huge overhand ball from Cutler and collapsed to the floor. He stood up and was pushed around the ring by Cutler until the bell rang.
McKenna fought hard in the eighth round and was visibly tired, but did everything he could to prevent Cutler from overpowering him. The ninth inning followed a similar pattern, with McKenna trying hard again, but a fresh-faced Cutler hit hard.
Both fighters ended their tenth bout with impressive results. McKenna, still clearly tired, went toe-to-toe with Cutler and landed punches until the final bell sounded. Both men raised their arms, but Cutler deservedly won by majority decision, with cards reading 94-94, 95-93 and 96-92.
