Roundly predicted to be the fight of the night, Hosea Burton’s British light heavyweight title defence against Frank Buglioni, 173 1/2lbs, ignited from the opening bell.
Buglioni tore the title away from Burton, 174 1/4lbs, in the final round of a sensational battle.
Both men have shown a susceptibility to straight right hands but given the reach advantage held by Burton, it was Buglioni who had the greater need for head movement as he sought to avoid getting pinned on the end of a jab and nailed by the right. Sadly for Buglioni, Burton found his mark instantly.
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Buglioni survived the round and got back on an even keel in the second and seemed to hurt Burton as the round ended. With ringside wondering if Burton had damaged his right hand, Buglioni poured on the pressure.
It became a tremendous back and forth tussle. Buglioni was badly marked up, Burton should have been but miraculously wasn’t.
Buglioni dropped a tiring Burton in the eleventh but ran out of time to finish him off. He blew through Burton in the final round.
Burton (18-1 9 KO’s) had the look a fighter on the rise. He cut a more confident figure during the pre-fight activities but Buglioni (19-1-1, 15 KO’s) simply wouldn’t be denied. The official time was 1.56 of the twelfth and final round.
