29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Recap of all the action from York Hall as Osborne and Forrest headline
York Hall has played host to plenty of big names in British boxing over the years, with the small hall venue a frequent stop on fighter's journey to the top.
On Sunday, DAZN viewers were able to catch a glimpse of the action in Bethnal Green with a card provided by Top Tier, the event headlined by James Osborne's points victory over Liam Forrest.
Whilst none of the fighters involved are not yet household names, perhaps one or two victorious prospects on the card will go on to have storied careers in the sweet science.
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Journeyman Engel Gomez certainly has had a long career, if not storied. Heading into his super-lightweight battle with Rory O'Hara, the Nicaraguan entered the contest with a record of 8-45-3 (4), suggesting that he was meant to ease his opponent into professional boxing life.
That did not transpire for debutant O'Hara, who lost each of the four rounds to Gomez in the view of referee Amy Pu.
Gomez's fellow journeyman Steve Davies, now 1-14-0 (0), was involved in another tight affair in the following match, but the super welterweight from Neath, south Wales, was outpointed by Thomas Galbraith, now 5-1 (0).
Referee Lee Every gave Galbraith three of the four rounds.
Dylan Oke pushed his record to 2-0 (1) with a shutout against Jensen Irving. The Londoner came in at the limit of his super welterweight class, with the well-travelled Irving, now 4-25-2 (0), weighing in four pounds heavier at 158lbs.
Irving's extra weight as of little benefit, with Oke in total control of the four-rounder.
Arjon Basi made his pro debut in convincing fashion, taking all four rounds against Angelo Dragone, a Welsh welterweight with a winning record, now 9-6 (1).
Super featherweight Jermaine Dhilwayo had the best unbeaten record on the card, entering his bout with Eliecer Quezada with five wins, one via knockout.
Dhilwayo added another stoppage to his CV by halting his Nicaraguan opponent, now 24-36-4 (9), in the fourth of a six-round contest.
That would prove to be the only stoppage of the evening, with the rest of the fights decided by points.
Dorin Krasmaru improved to 4-0 (2) by soundly outpointing Bosnian heavyweight Milos Veletic. Both fighters landed heavy blows during the six rounds, but Ukrainian Krasmaru did more than enough to take every round in the eyes of referee Every.
Every had a much harder job separating Nina Hughes, now 7-2 (2), and Nicholine Achieng in the following bout.
The two bantamweights were evenly matched throughout, although former Commonwealth super-bantamweight champion Hughes' class was evident in the early rounds.
Achieng managed to cut her opponent before knocking her down to the canvas in the sixth and final round. The Kenyan, now 4-12-1 (3), might have felt she did enough to defeat favourite Hughes, who won 57-56.
Lightweight Ross Driscoll, now 3-0 (1), navigated a tough opponent in the form of Ally Lubanja, now 5-3-2 (0).
Driscoll took a 58-55 points win but never truly controlled his Tanzanian opponent. The evenly matched bouts continued into the penultimate contest of the evening.
Kevin Reavell, who entered the contest with a record of 6-4-1 (2), clearly won the early rounds against Southampton's Morgan Sellamuthu, who was 4-1-1 (0) ahead of the fight.
A big shot in the sixth for Sellamuthu proved a turning point, with the man from Hampshire getting the better of the last two rounds. That was enough for the referee to score the bout as an even 56-56 draw, with both fighters post-bout stating they were keen for a rematch.
The headlining bout was another keenly contested affair, with James Osborne getting the better of Liam Forrest in an eight-round super-middleweight contest.
Osborne was the quicker of the two fighters whilst landing more powerful punches, but Forrest, 3-1-1 (0), showcased a strong chin. However, Osborne's quality shone through, with the Essex man improving to 9-1 (1).
