Boxing: Harlem Eubank stays unbeaten by defeating Nurali Erdogan in scrappy win
Harlem Eubank remains unbeaten and beat Nuraly Erdogan on points in Newcastle for his 20th career victory.
The 30-year-old made his welterweight debut but had a mixed performance over eight rounds against France’s Erdogan.
All three judges gave Eubank the win, with scores of 77-73, 79-70 and 77-72.
“It was a different style tonight, first time at welterweight, tough guy just wanted a draw,” Eubank said of the fight.
“I went out there to get the job done. I was happy with the unanimous decision win.”
Eubank put the blame on his opponent during the tussle, saying: “I felt like I was strong and the clinch made it difficult.”
Eubank last fought just over 12 months ago and showed clear signs of ring rust as he never really found his rhythm.
Erdogan, 27, had been a modest introduction to the welterweight division with just one stoppage in 16 wins, but Eubank looked untidy from the first bell.
He was warned multiple times not to hold on, but Erdogan was deducted two points for it in the second half.
In a fight without any real action, Eubank was staggered briefly by a left hook in the fifth round but was otherwise untroubled by the significantly larger Erdogan.
Eubank struggled in the final two elimination rounds and was eventually deducted a point in the final minutes, but Erdogan’s previous deduction had sealed victory for the Briton.
Eubank, who is the cousin of boxer Chris Eubank Jr., was originally scheduled to fight Adam Azim in a light welterweight bout, but the fight never took place, although the two fought in March against Fabio Wardley faced off in the ring against Frazier Clark.
When it came to future fights, neither Eubank nor his team mentioned Azim, but said they were targeting “big things” in 2025.
