Nigeria’s Efetobor Apochi suffered his third professional defeat losing to Jamaica-British boxer Cheavon Clark via unanimous decision on Saturday at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California.
The fight which started tactically between the two hard-hitting cruiserweights turned into a slugfest at the end but the judges were split in their decision with two giving the fight 98-92 and 97-93 in fvour of Clarke while the third judge scored the fight a draw at 95-95.
The bout lived to it’s pre-fight hype as both fighters left it all out in the ring. Apochi (12-3, 12 KOs) displayed relentless aggression, landing 139 of 599 punches. However, Clarke, countered effectively, connecting with 135 of 465 punches. Despite Apochi’s superior volume, Clarke’s power punches, especially his body shots, proved to be a significant factor.
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The fight reached a crescendo in the later rounds. Apochi, a 36-year-old veteran, continued to push the pace, landing crisp uppercuts and powerful rights. Clarke, however, demonstrated his resilience, absorbing a barrage of punches in the eighth round before launching a counterattack of his own.
The ninth round was a turning point, as Apochi landed a series of devastating right hands, leaving Clarke visibly shaken. Sensing the opportunity for a knockout, Apochi went all-out in the final round, but Clarke stood his ground, trading punches and ultimately securing a victory.
Reacting to the win, Clarke says he is excited he did the job in good fashion. “I did my job and taht’s all that matters. I did the job and I did it in good fashion. What people keep forgetting is that I’ve only had nine fights and those fights speak for themselves.”
The win is Clarke’s 10th career win. The 33-year-old is a late entreant into the professional boxing scene. He had represented Great Britain dudring the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
