Sometimes a fighter’s recent results can be misleading.
Ted Cheeseman was 0-2-1 in his last three fights but he had enough to beat a solid opponent in Sam Eggington by a close, but unanimous decision in a 12-round junior middleweight fight Saturday at Matchroom Boxing’s “Fight Camp” outside London.
The scores with 116-113, 116-113 and 115-114.
The five-fight card, conducted without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic, was promoter Eddie Hearn’s first post-lockdown show. And Cheeseman (16-2-1, 9 KOs) and Eggington (28-7, 17 KOs) gave him an entertaining main event.
Cheeseman controlled the early rounds to build up a sizeable lead on the cards only to see a determined Eggington rally. However, the Stourbridge fighter couldn’t close the gap and fell short.
Cheeseman, who reportedly had a gambling addiction, admitted beforehand that another loss would’ve been too much to overcome.
With the victory, he instantly becomes a player in the 154-pound division. Eggington entered the fight at No. 5 in the IBF rankings, with Jeison Rosario reigning as champion. Cheeseman could take Eggington’s position in the rankings.
“I have come through my problems, I felt I deserved some luck over the last year, and I have come through it,” the Londoner said. “I’m a winner, I gave my heart to this sport, and I felt that I deserved some luck last year, but I never got it.
“When I got tired I stood and had a fight with Sam. I have not had a win for nearly two years but I had such a good training camp. With my habits this lockdown has been a blessing in disguise for me. I’ve been able to learn new things.
“It was great to not have a crowd and be able to communicate with [trainer] Tony [Sims]. If I lost tonight, I would have retired but now I’m No. 5 in the world. I could cry my eyes out with happiness.”
Eggington, who had won four in row entering the fight, liked the idea of a rematch.
“Being in there it felt like a good fight,” he said. “I’m sure people would like to see it again, maybe with fans.”
In other fights on the card, James Tennyson (27-3, 23 KOs) stopped Gavin Gwynne (12-2, 2 KOs) in the sixth round of a scheduled 12-round fight for the British lightweight title.
Jordan Gill (25-1, 7 KOs) defeated Reece Bellotti (14-4, 12 KOs) by a unanimous decision in a 10-round featherweight fight. The scores were 97-93, 97-93 and 96-95.
Fabio Wardley (9-0, 8 KOs) knocked out Simon Vallily (17-3-1, 7 KOs) in the third round of a scheduled 10-round heavyweight fight.
And junior welterweight prospect Dalton Smith (6-0, 5 KOs) stopped Nathan Bennett (9-2, 2 KOs) in the fifth round of a scheduled eight-round fight.