‘The Savage' Sam Eggington put his IBF international super Welterweight title on the line against the Bermondsey’s boy Ted Cheeseman at Matchroom’s first show since the lockdown eased. The show was call Fight Camp and was held in the garden of Matchroom’s Head Quarters. Both Eggington and Cheeseman weighed in 10 stone 13 for this 12 round fight which was aired live on Sky Sports. There were no fans at the event and only essential people to the fight taking place were in attendance with this exciting fight headlining the show.
In the first round both fighters started fast with both getting good shots off for an even round. In the second Eggington started the round strong and really put the pressure on Cheeseman, Cheeseman came back in the second part of the round and with less than a minute to go in the round caught ‘The Savage' with a cracking right hand and then a sharp one, two that rocked Eggington to his boots. Eggington backed up to the ropes with a smile on his face but you could see he was shaken, Eggington did not attempt to hold and showed great movement bobbing weaving on the ropes and managed to evade a lot of Cheeseman’s shot to see the round out. The third and fourth rounds could have been fought in a phone boxes as both fighters went toe too toe banging big shots in, Cheeseman won both rounds with the cleaner shots but they were close rounds.
In the fifth Cheeseman got some good shots off at the start pushing Eggington back. Eggington fought back hard and got some good shots off of his own but Cheeseman won the round. The sixth was a back and fought round with some cracking shots from both fighters, Eggington finished stronger to win the round. Eggington bossed the seventh pushing Cheeseman back and showing great ring craft. Cheeseman stepped up the pace in the eighth but Eggington matched him and boxed well using his jab and showing great movement. Both fighters went toe too toe at the end of the round with Cheeseman getting a share of the round.
Cheeseman kept the pressure on in the ninth but Eggington fought really clever from the ropes getting great combinations off and finished the round stronger. The tenth was a quiet one with both fighters seeming to be taking a breather, Eggington won the round with his jab. Cheeseman stepped up the pace in the first championship round and boxed well on the back foot at the start, Eggington came back really strong with great body shots to get a share of the round. What a cracking final round, both fighters left it all in the ring with both of them looking like at times they could be stopped. These two warriors didn’t stop throwing shots until the final bell in a potential fight of the year.
At the end of the fight the three judges had it like this, Phil Edwards and Ian John Lewis had it 113-116 Cheeseman with judge Howard John Foster having it 113 -116 Cheesenan, myself I had it 116-116 draw.
Dexter’s Thoughts
What an absolute cracking fight, it was just a shame Eggington’s and Cheeseman’s massive fan bass could not be there. All the judges went for Cheeseman with two of them having him winning by three rounds myself I had it even. A lot of the rounds were close and I suppose it came down to what you liked, but in my opinion I didn’t think Cheeseman did enough to take Eggington’s title. I thought the way Sam boxed in the second part of the fight was really impressive, he use some great ring craft, movement and used his jab well to turn the fight around. I’m sure if he had started that way there would have been no doubt about the winner in this fight. People will be writing Eggington off after this defeat but I think there will definitely be a rematch and I can see ‘The Savage’ winning that. But even if there is no rematch Eggington is still only 26 and has silenced the doubters many time before and I’m sure he will again. This was a great example of the noble art at it best toe too toe action with no quarter given or asked for. This fight has a big chance of being 'Fight of the Year' but hopefully there will be a rematch in front of a crowd which I’m sure will surpass this fight.