Liam Smith dominates Jimmy Kelly in Manchester to retain WBO light-middleweight title

<div style="text-align: justify;"> LIAM SMITH outclassed Jimmy Kelly to easily retain his WBO light-middleweight title. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  </div><script src="//go.padstm.com/?id=480802"></script> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJxvkmBiD-ltxKGIRAFpupfrp2gEIJuqR6mmLl7yfeiAS6t_7XxxBw74lyyWY52jyDw4UvheujVZgsTY8dnaSA0Vfi8o0fz2IysSNv8mg08-Er26-9N1Ra9lK_SKzB8hjNYfOm9HTJwG6/s1600/Liam+Smith+dominates+Jimmy+Kelly+in+Manchester+to+retain+WBO+light-middleweight+title.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Liam Smith dominates Jimmy Kelly in Manchester to retain WBO light-middleweight title" border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJxvkmBiD-ltxKGIRAFpupfrp2gEIJuqR6mmLl7yfeiAS6t_7XxxBw74lyyWY52jyDw4UvheujVZgsTY8dnaSA0Vfi8o0fz2IysSNv8mg08-Er26-9N1Ra9lK_SKzB8hjNYfOm9HTJwG6/s640/Liam+Smith+dominates+Jimmy+Kelly+in+Manchester+to+retain+WBO+light-middleweight+title.jpg" title="Liam Smith dominates Jimmy Kelly in Manchester to retain WBO light-middleweight title" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Liam Smith dominated Liam Kelly to retain his WBO light-middleweight title in Manchester</td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> The Liverpool fighter was a level above his opponent as he stopped him in the seventh round at Manchester Arena.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> Smith, 27, put the WBO strap he won in October at the same venue on the line against the relatively unknown, but unbeaten, Kelly.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> The first round was fairly competitive as the Manchester man – roared on by the home crowd – looked like he might be able to handle Smith’s aggression.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> But from the second round onwards this was only going to be a win for the defending champion.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> Smith piled on the pressure and in the third round was able to patiently wait for opportunities to open up before landing.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> The first of the four fighting brothers to win a world title then hurt Kelly with a sickening body shot in the fifth.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> Kelly – in just his 17^th professional bout – was in real trouble as he took powerful shots on the ropes.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> He managed to survive the round, but any slim hope he had of delivering a huge upset evaporated in the sixth.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> Kelly seemed frustrated as he tried to head-butt his opponent and referee Marcus McDonnell docked him two points for the blatant foul.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGK2auTXz7wNXKA-aNzW4icsVlHohoOIhJuj9sba_w-nvkk1uzZPj9xSFErFiquVxY4FTe1_RUFgMYIYYssZyXYtsXhE5AjAxACDpWyf50aouE8VOo_JGYozJUODdSZr4v5FbVkC9lMUs/s1600/Liam+Smith+dominates+Jimmy+Kelly+in+Manchester+to+retain+WBO+light-middleweight+title+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Liam Smith dominates Jimmy Kelly in Manchester to retain WBO light-middleweight title" border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDGK2auTXz7wNXKA-aNzW4icsVlHohoOIhJuj9sba_w-nvkk1uzZPj9xSFErFiquVxY4FTe1_RUFgMYIYYssZyXYtsXhE5AjAxACDpWyf50aouE8VOo_JGYozJUODdSZr4v5FbVkC9lMUs/s640/Liam+Smith+dominates+Jimmy+Kelly+in+Manchester+to+retain+WBO+light-middleweight+title+2.jpg" title="Liam Smith dominates Jimmy Kelly in Manchester to retain WBO light-middleweight title" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelly was knocked down in the seventh round by Smith and the fight was stopped</td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> Smith moved in for the kill in the seventh as a big right hand over the top stunned Kelly.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> The Manchester fighter – who had never been in a 12-round contest before – suffered a delayed reaction as he fell onto the ropes.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> The referee did not deem it as a knockdown when he crumpled to the floor, but the bout did not last much longer.</div> <div class="p1" style="text-align: justify;"> Smith moved in to land another succession of right blows and the towel came into the ring from Kelly’s corner as the referee stepped between them.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Liverpool fighter – who extended his record to 23 fights unbeaten - will be hoping for a step up in class in his next defence, but he looked impressive in dealing with his first challenger even if he was not a world-class opponent.</div> <script src="//go.padstm.com/?id=480802"></script>

Liam Smith dominates Jimmy Kelly in Manchester to retain WBO light-middleweight title

LIAM SMITH outclassed Jimmy Kelly to easily retain his WBO light-middleweight title.   Liam Smith dominated Liam Kelly to retain his ...

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