It was billed as a pick ’em fight, but junior lightweight contender Jono Carroll had other ideas.
The 27-year-old Irish southpaw started fast and never looked back en route to an 11th-round stoppage over veteran Scott Quigg on Saturday night at the Manchester Arena in the latter’s hometown of Manchester, England.
It was a veritable washout in what was easily the most significant win of Carroll’s career.
Carroll began teeing off on an injured Quigg late in Round 11, prompting Quigg’s corner to throw in the towel and forcing referee John Latham to stop the bout. The official time of stoppage was 2:14.
“I said the whole buildup to this fight I felt this was my time to show him,” Carroll (18-1-1, 5 KOs) said.
“I just feel like this is my time,” he continued. “I’m 27, almost 28. I’m gaining power. I’m feeling very good in there. There wasn’t one stage that I felt like I was gassing or I was tired. I was picking quality shots. .. And you can see him at the end, once I caught him on the ropes I still had power to whack him with. … Tonight I showed quality.”
Said Quigg (35-3-2, 26 KOs): “The better man won. Fair play to him.”
Carroll dominated from the opening bell, working behind his jab as he continually circled Quigg and landed straight lefts. He was quicker and consistently beat Quigg to the punch. Carroll’s bodywork also stood out.
Quigg, a former titleholder at junior featherweight, had few positive moments. Perhaps an 18th-month layoff had an effect on him. It may explain why he appeared so stiff and tentative in the ring. Carroll, on the other hand, had clearly shown improvement since dropping a decision to then-titleholder Tevin Farmer last March.
“Yeah, I definitely think so,” Carroll said when asked if he thought this was the best performance of his career. “I started to settle down in the gym and started to use my jab more and started to be smart. Trying not to do silly shots.”
Also, local heavyweight Hughie Fury (24-3, 14 KOs) rebounded from his loss to Alexander Povetkin with a knockout win of Pavel Sour (11-3, 6 KOs). Fury, a cousin of titleholder Tyson Fury, scored a knockdown in Round 2. He followed up with another in Round 3, which prompted Sour’s corner to throw in the towel.
Super middleweight contender Zach Parker (19-0, 13 KOs) maintained his perfect record when he dropped and then stopped Aussie Rohan Murdock (24-2, 17 KOs) in the 11th round. The official time was 2:58.
Junior middleweight Anthony Fowler (12-1, 8 KOs) dropped Theophilus Tetteh (19-8-2, 12 KOs) four times en route to a first-round stoppage. This was Fowler’s first fight under new trainer Shane McGuigan, who also trains lightweight contender Luke Campbell.