Ted Cheeseman tonight defeated Sam Eggington to become the IBF international super-welterweight title
Held in the gardens of Matchroom HQ in Essex, hosting fights for the first time.
Both fighters were well matched and it was always going to be an entertaining fight. The pair went toe to toe from the off, but the right man got the decision.
The fight went down to the wire with the judges giving Ted Cheeseman the decision via unanimous decision, It was hard to tell the fighters apart with both fighters gave their all and each troubled the other throughout the fight, it was no one-sided victory.
Eggington and Cheeseman out throwing bombs, the punch output from both fighters for first few rounds was pretty high, each fighter troubled each other with some big blows.
Sam Eggington was unloading his hooks while Ted Cheeseman was connecting with shots straight down the pipe. The Birmingham fighter would soon find himself in trouble withstanding them shots, he was forced to back-up and weather the storm.
It was a gruelling hard fought fight, by the 9th round, Sam Eggington and Ted Cheeseman were dragged into a dogfight. Eggington continued on landing his big hooks with success, but then in the 10th round, Ted Cheeseman unloaded a thunderous right hand which managed to break through his opponents guard.
In the final rounds, both fights were still going at it. Neither fighter was going to give-in, both fighters were troubled with big hooks in a huge last round.
The judges awarded Ted Cheeseman the win, the judges’ scorecards were 116-113, 116-113, 115-114.
Sam Eggington caught Ted Cheeseman at times with some hard shots, but the Bermondsey fighter kept coming forward and getting off big shots of his own. That is what probably swung it for the judges, when Cheeseman was getting hit, he just kept moving forward.
Ted “The Cheese” Cheeseman needed this victory more than Eggington, Cheeseman last outing he felt short to Scott Fitzgerald in October losing the British title. This is Cheeseman’s first win in two years. Since the Fitzgerald fight, there had been doubts whether he could box, Cheeseman wanted to prove his doubters wrong, which he has now done, and with this victory, he as now revived his career.
“You can’t imagine. I see fighters lose who don’t care. I cared, I cried my eyes out, I stormed out of the ring. 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.
“I lot of people doubted me, thought I would tire. When it got tough, I had a fight with Sam. It was morale – I haven’t won for nearly two years – and you need confidence.
An emotional Ted Cheeseman added: “I was confident going into that ring. There was no pressure with no crowd.
“I made mistakes but I boxed really well. I could have thought: ‘It isn’t going my way’.
“But I gave it my all.
“If I lost tonight I would have retired.
“I could cry my eyes out with happiness.”