Van Heerden too tough for Hatton

With his right eyelid split wide open, Chris van Heerden still out-powered and out-hustled Matthew Hatton to retain his IBO welterweight title at the Sandton Convention Centre on Saturday night.

This was more a display of grit and strength than of artistry, with the scrap turning messy too frequently as Hatton held and spoiled. English referee Howard Foster failed to stop his countryman's antics and Hatton even opened the cut with a head-butt and widened it with legitimate punches.

"I struggled to see in rounds four and five," southpaw Van Heerden admitted afterwards.

Late in the sixth round a blood-smeared Van Heerden was taking several shots, but then nailed Hatton with a superb left that stopped him in his tracks.

"I think I hurt him a few times in the fight," Van Heerden said later.

Hatton, the younger brother of former world champion Ricky, never reeled but when he was caught flush he seemed to freeze momentarily, suggesting that he had been hurt.

In the end, the three judges scored it for Van Heerden 118-110, 117-112 and 116-112. The fighter agreed with only one of those cards.

"I thought I won it by four rounds," he said.

Coincidentally, South Africa's legendary ring official, Stan Christodoulou, also had Van Heerden winning by four points.

Van Heerden, who needed stitches, was not entirely happy with his own performance. Though his hooks and uppercuts were effective, he could have used his jab more often.

"I can do so much better," he said.

When one of Hatton's handlers came to congratulate him, the bruised warrior beamed at him: "That was a war; that was a good fight."

Former IBF welterweight champion Isaac Hlatshwayo, 35, was an empty shell of his former self, losing badly over eight rounds to Kaizer Mabuza, a man he has beaten twice.

The last time they fought, 10 years ago, the ever-advancing Hlatshwayo won a tough battle. But the ageing boxer spent the fight retreating and eating leather and Mabuza won comfortably.

South African light-heavyweight champion Tshepang Mohale was out-classed and stopped in the seventh round by Englishman Matty Clarkson.

Perhaps former South African heavyweight champion Osborne Machimana can take some consolation from his six-round draw against Elvis Moyo. After losing the first three rounds, Machimana fought back to share the honours.