Ezra Taylor sent a clear message to the 175-pound division by stopping Steed Woodall in the ninth round on Saturday evening. The fight favourite’s speed, freshness, and ferocity proved too much for a valiant but outmatched opponent.
After eight rounds of steadily one-sided action, Woodall’s corner threw in the towel at 0:54 of round nine, giving Taylor the victory and the WBA Continental Gold light-heavyweight title—a belt that, while arguably superfluous, comes with a boost in the rankings.
Taylor, who had been scheduled to face Lewis Edmondson before the Southampton fighter withdrew with an injury, dominated from the outset. The early rounds saw a battle of jabs, with Taylor’s sharper hand speed dictating the pace. Woodall’s solid fundamentals and upper-body movement allowed him to counter at times, but the power shots began landing with increasing frequency.
By the fourth round, Taylor was unleashing heavier punches with both hands, mixing crisp jabs with punishing body shots that steadily drained Woodall’s energy. He also targeted Woodall’s eyes, leaving visible marks from the ongoing punishment.
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Woodall showed heart, standing through a storm of shots through the eighth round, but by the ninth, referee Mark Bates was closely monitoring the action before Woodall’s corner sensibly ended the fight as their fighter sat against the ropes.
The stoppage was fair and compassionate, marking Woodall’s first defeat in four fights since a 20-4-1 record (12 KOs), while Taylor improves to 13-0 (9 KOs). At 31, Taylor now looks set to step up to higher-level challenges in the light-heavyweight division.
