McCarthy crowned as European champion

Tommy McCarthy defeated Bilal Laggoune to claim the European title

Tommy McCarthy took the vacant European cruiserweight title after a hard-fought majority decision victory over Bilal Laggoune at Wembley Arena.

The Belfast fighter continued his steady climb back up the rankings since last year’s defeat to Richard Riakporhe, but he was made to work for a win over the spirited Laggoune, with one judge scoring it a 114-114 draw, while he received the verdict with tallies of 116-112 and 116-113.

In a lively opener, Laggoune tried to force McCarthy onto the back foot with a string of early right hands.

McCarthy soon found his range in the early rounds

But McCarthy kept his composure, answering with crisp counters in the second, while he banged in body shots around the Belgian’s belt line in the third.

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Dropping his hands, McCarthy fired out flashy punches in the fourth, and then continued to rattle Laggoune’s ribs in the fifth.

As McCarthy stepped up his assault in the sixth, the action was briefly halted as Laggoune requested the doctor to inspect an eye problem, and he showed further signs of distress while withstanding more spiteful punches in the seventh.

The Belfast man tried to break Laggoune’s stubborn resistance

A looping left hand sent Laggoune into reverse in the eighth, and he was sent staggering to the ropes in the ninth, sparking a fierce flurry of shots from McCarthy.

But Laggoune showed his grit in the closing rounds, pumping out jabs and right hands on the tiring McCarthy, who recovered well in the 12th, landing an eye-catching uppercut while sealing a points triumph.

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