Probellum returned to Liverpool on October 15, 2022, for a thrilling night of boxing topped by Peter McGrail vs Alexander Espinoza, and featuring Jazza Dickens in a significant title bout.
2020 Olympian Peter McGrail (4-0, 3 KOs) headlined the card in his first scheduled ten-rounder against Nicaraguan Alexander Espinoza (21-4-2). McGrail, often lauded as Liverpool’s finest amateur ever, seized the opportunity to headline in his hometown for the first time in his burgeoning professional career. Prior to this bout, McGrail had maintained a perfect record, securing four wins in four fights in 2022, all coming inside the distance. His professional journey began in October 2021, and he quickly established himself as an exciting talent in the super-bantamweight division.
Jazza Dickens (31-4, 12KOs) faced South African Lerato Dlamini (17-1, 9KOs) for the vacant IBO Featherweight title. Dickens entered this contest looking to rebuild his career after suffering an 11th-round stoppage defeat at the hands of Kid Galahad the previous year in a world title attempt. His path back to contention began in April 2022 with a decisive 5th-round KO over Andoni Gago. Dlamini, known as “Lights Out,” came into the fight with an impressive record, having only one loss on his ledger.
Main Event Outcomes and Aftermath
The highly anticipated main event saw Peter McGrail deliver a masterclass performance against Alexander Espinoza. McGrail extended his unbeaten run to five fights with a technical knockout victory. The Liverpudlian southpaw dominated the fight, dropping the tough Nicaraguan with a potent backhand in the fourth round. Despite Espinoza beating the count, the relentless pressure from McGrail continued. Espinoza’s corner ultimately threw in the towel before the start of the sixth round, leading to a fifth-round stoppage. McGrail, who moved to 5-0 (4 KOs) as a professional, later revealed that he sustained a cut by his left eye and hurt his right hand in the second round, but managed to adapt his strategy. Speaking after his first headline event, McGrail expressed his satisfaction, stating, “This was my first time topping a bill and the crowd were unbelievable. I thought it was a good performance, it wasn’t 10 out of 10, but overall, I am happy. It was a step-up on paper so I’m happy to get him out of there, because he went 10 rounds with Kash Farooq last year.” This victory solidified McGrail’s position as a rising force in the super-bantamweight division, paving the way for further significant challenges.
In the co-main event, Jazza Dickens achieved a career-defining moment by capturing the vacant IBO Featherweight title. In front of a passionate home crowd at the Eventim Olympia, Dickens defeated Lerato Dlamini via a unanimous decision after 12 tough rounds. The judges scored the bout 115-113, 116-112, and 115-113 in favor of the Liverpudlian. This marked Dickens’ third attempt at a world title, making the victory particularly poignant. Dlamini proved to be a resilient opponent, pushing forward despite suffering swelling under his right eye. Dickens, a southpaw, managed to get on top in the second half of the fight, appearing to hurt Dlamini between rounds six and nine. With this win, Dickens improved his professional record to 32-4 (12 KOs), while Dlamini’s record moved to 18-2 (10 KOs). The victory propelled Dickens back into the world title picture, with immediate calls for unification bouts, including a potential trilogy fight with Leigh Wood.
Undercard Results
The Probellum Liverpool card featured a strong lineup of emerging talents and established professionals. Among the notable undercard bouts:
- Steven Cairns (3-0) faced Angelo Turco (8-26-2) in a six-round super featherweight contest. Cairns extended his perfect professional record by controlling the fight and winning on points with a score of 60-53.
- Joe McGrail (5-0), Peter McGrail’s younger brother, took on Alexander Taylor (20-36-2) in a six-round super bantamweight clash. Joe McGrail secured a clear points victory with a score of 59-55, despite enduring a cut and a damaged hand during what he described as the “toughest fight” of his career at that point.
- Blane Hyland (6-1) met Mikey Young (2-5-1) in a six-round bantamweight encounter. Hyland emerged victorious, winning on points.
- John Edwardson (3-0) kicked off the card against veteran Simas Volosinas (7-103) in a four-round featherweight bout. Edwardson maintained his undefeated record, winning on points with a score of 40-36.
- Will Cawley (2-0) was also scheduled to fight Angel Gabriel Chavez (3-3-1) in a six-round bantamweight contest. The specific outcome of this particular bout was not readily available in the provided search results.
Broadcast Information and Event Details
The Probellum Liverpool double-header, featuring McGrail vs Espinoza and Dickens vs Dlamini, was available to watch live and free on FITE TV and Probellum.com in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Ireland. All the action commenced at 6 pm BST (1 pm ET, 10 am PT). With five undercard fights leading into the main attractions, fans were treated to a full evening of boxing. Jazza Dickens vs Lerato Dlamini was anticipated to begin at approximately 8:30 pm BST (3:30 pm ET, 12:30 pm PT), with the main event, Peter McGrail vs Alexander Espinoza, expected around 9:30 pm BST (4:30 pm ET, 1:30 pm PT).
Follow NoSmokeBoxing on X
