Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/616203
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2015 Sport BOXING 22 Sport For trade enquiries phone 2138 2741 INGA BOISSEVAIN'S NOVEL AT ALL LEADING STATIONERS Billy Corito scores yet another victory Billy Corito wins fight against UK's Matt Ellis MALTA'S Heav y weight King,Billy Corito scored yet an- other victory, this time over late replacement, Great Britain's Matt Ellis. Originally Corito was lined up to face Lee Kellett, who was unable to make it through the f loods in Cumbria to compete against the local star on this special Stephen Vaughan pro- moted Malta versus UK charity event, Fight For Life in aid of Caritas. The first two rounds were very close, but the third was a differ- ent matter altogether, Corito started fast and backed the Englishman onto the ropes with some superb combinations, once there Corito proceeded to target the body and then around the thirty second mark let rip with a powerful body shot that sent Ellis to the canvas, then as referee Lee Murtagh began the count the Englishman's corner threw the towel in, which was ignored and the referee contin- ued to count Ellis out. The official time of the stop- page was 33 seconds of the third round. Following his victory Cori- to was informed by Stephen Vaughan that his next fight will be in the United King- dom, where he will fight in a six rounder on the undercard of Tasif Khan versus Isaac Quaye WBU Super Fly weight World Championship in Bradford on February 6th. Prior to Corito-Ellis, lo- cal Light Heav y weight Goran Bogdanovic made his profes- sional debut against Bilston, West Midlands, UK's Jamie Gelder. Gelder started hard and fast, taking the fight to Bogdanovic, and then continued to keep up the high pace of attack for the entire four rounds, forc- ing Bogdanovic to be defensive throughout. Bogdanovic did have some success, backing the English- man onto the ropes and letting rip with fast and furious com- binations of his own, however not enough to capture any of the rounds. After four sensational rounds of boxing Judges Nick Aish and Stephen Farrugia both scored it 36-40, whilst Judge Gwayn Bonsfield scored the bout 37-39, all in favour of Jamie Gelder. Supporting the two profes- sional bouts were a number of Malta vs UK Novice Pro bouts as well as two exhibition bouts featuring local fighters. Billy Corito vs Matt Ellis. Photos by Viktor Vella Saunders blasts 'phony' Eubank WORLD title challenger Billy Joe Saunders has blasted arch nem- esis Chris Eubank Jr saying he is a "phony" who is not at world level. The 26-year-old from Hatfield, who takes on WBO champion Andy Lee this Saturday night, exclusively live on BoxNation from the Manchester Arena, has said he was left unimpressed with Eubank Jr's win over Gary O'Sullivan last weekend and that he will fall short if he takes on the best around. The middleweight rivals have previously locked horns with Saunders coming out on top, win- ning a split points decision late last year and he is adamant that the Brighton boxer will f lop once again if he shares the ring with another top 160-pounder. "The truth of the matter is that Eubank Jr does not belong at world level - he's a phony, it's as simple as that. I wasn't impressed with his win over O'Sullivan who I've already beaten. He thinks he can fool the public with a win like that but he can't," said unbeaten Saunders. "His aim now is to move up and fight the best guys in the world but we saw what happened the last time he stepped up a notch and faced me, he was badly ex- posed. The same thing will hap- pen with him if he fights someone like Danny Jacobs for the WBA title. "You're not the best middle- weight in your own country and you want to fight a world cham- pion and say you're going to beat him? I think it's delusion and he thinks he's greater than he actu- ally is. "Sooner rather than later he's going to get exposed again as the fraud that he is. You can keep talking but eventually you have to back it up in the ring against top level fighters. He's won his last fight now he's back talking shit again like he's the best fighter in history. "If he has the balls to fight again, which I doubt, I would happily hand him another beating - but this time in even more convinc- ing fashion." Lee v Saunders headlines Frank Warren's 'X-Mas Cracker', with WBO world super-welterweight champion Liam Smith making his first title defence against Jim- my Kelly. A further six titles are on the line with Mitchell Smith defend- ing his WBO intercontinental super-featherweight title against George Jupp, while Paul Butler challenges for the vacant WBO European super-f lyweight cham- pionship against Silvio Olteanu. Commonwealth super-welter- weight champion Liam Williams and Kris Carslaw clash with the vacant British title also on the line; Jack Catterall defends his WBO intercontinental super- lightweight championship, and Adrian Gonzalez defends his WBO intercontinental light- weight championship. The undercard features Mersey- side favourite Derry Mathews in an eight-round contest ahead of his WBO world lightweight title challenge against Terry Flanagan in February, Indian superstar Vi- jender Singh and top Manchester prospects Jack Flattley and Dale Coyne.