Result: Unanimous points decision

Months of focused preparation paid off as Joe Craven claimed a solid victory on his return to the ring after the pandemic.

Fighting at the MTGP show at the O2 in London, a determined Craven took on 21-year-old rising star Pantelis Samprovalakis and proved too strong over three rounds.   

The young Greek was aggressive from the outset, landing rapid low kicks that didn’t cause Craven too many problems. 

But the Leeds fighter landed a series of body shots and always looked in control, executing strong knees in the clinch and nearly driving Samprovalakis over the ropes on several occasions.

A minor cut over his eyebrow didn’t slow Craven down and in the third round his boxing skills came to the fore, letting loose with some great shots to easily outshine the Athenian and record a unanimous decision from the ringside judges. 

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