Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Italian takes IBO belt in Liverpool Undefeated Italian Emiliano Marsili is the new IBO lightweight champion after a brutal battle with home fighter Derry Mathews at the Olympia in Liverpool. The 36 year-old, who had just one draw in 24 previous contests, stopped the former WBU featherweight champion in seven rounds to claim his first world title in a toe-to-toe scrap on Merseyside. Mathews, 28, went into the bout on the back of a draw with European title holder Gavin Rees, in which he broke his nose after a headbutt and it wasn’t long before the nose injury reoccurred, hampering him for the rest of the fight. A blistering start by Marsili had left Mathews bewildered and it wasn’t until the third round that the Liverpudlian realised that he was in trouble. Mathews got off with a couple of flurries, but utimately didn’t discourage Marsili from coming forward at every opportunity. Every shot from Marsili that hit Mathews’ nose was...
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