MANCHESTER, ENGLAND -- Zak Miller and Zach Parker produced contrasting decision victories, the former winning featherweight gold in an upset, as Queensberry's first card of a busy 2025 schedule unfolded at the Co-Op Live Arena.

Elsewhere on the undercard, the unbeaten Jack Rafferty (25-0, 16 KOs) served Southern Area champion Reece MacMillan (17-2, 2 KOs) a reality check to retain his British, Commonwealth and WBC International silver junior-welterweight titles.

Headlined by an IBF heavyweight title eliminator between Derek Chisora and Otto Wallin, tonight's card is currently being streamed on TNT Sports in the UK and DAZN on US/ROI territories.

Rafferty, who upset then-unbeaten prospect Henry Turner a month earlier, embraced his television debut as defending champion and the 29-year-old's relentlessness was clear in the early going.

After narrowly outpointing Kane Gardner on November 30, the underdog had no answers for the power flashing back in his face, despite an inspired stanza midway through their contest.

Peppering the Lancashire-born challenger behind his jab, round four was far more competitive after a one-sided first ten minutes or so as MacMillan embraced the danger by punching with the titleholder, finding the target with increasing success.

Rafferty unloaded two and three-punch combinations in the fifth, worked well to head-and-body in the sixth and more steely composure would see him set up a welcome stoppage. Powerful punching in bunches, body work and pressure was pushing a morose-looking MacMillan backwards.

Holding the towel ever tighter in the last half-minute, Reece's corner told him they would stop it if they didn't see an improvement as referee Mark Bates looked intently, ready to intervene himself.

Eventually they did, throwing the towel in Bates' face just as he looked to step in.

After three very different displays on his comeback from a broken hand in a career-best opportunity against the now-retired world title challenger John Ryder, this was set to be a crossroads clash at light-heavyweight for Zach Parker (26-1, 18 KOs).

Instead, Willy Hutchinson dislocated-and-tore his shoulder in sparring so France's Mickael Diallo (21-2-2, 18 KOs) stepped up on less than a week's notice, cutting and stifling the Derby man's work over ten rounds.

Both were bleeding from their right eye, Diallo over an early head clash while Parker was punctured by a punch and quickly found himself uncomfortable against another European opponent.

Referee Victor Loughlin's white shirt was swiftly stained with blood as their bruising exchanges were exhausting and this only intensified, the longer they went.

After continued success in the middle rounds, Diallo started the eighth brilliantly next to his corner, before Parker responded in kind with a beautifully-timed right hand as the crowd noise swelled in anticipation. Instead, Parker was twice on the floor - both ruled slips - as this contest became scrappy and increasingly gruelling.

Parker was warned for excessive holding a minute into the ninth, cuffing punches missing their target as the Frenchman's corner implored their man to finish strong, aware this potentially remained up for grabs if he could conjure up more clean work in the final few minutes.

Parker was again helped to his feet twice more, an unimpressed official told the story as he ultimately laboured to another wide decision victory.

Having fallen short at this level against now-former champion Nathaniel Collins in November 2023, Zak Miller (16-1, 3 KOs) had a second shot at British and Commonwealth featherweight gold against another unbeaten entity with Masood Abdulah (11-1, 7 KOs).

He produced a disciplined, determined and defensively savvy showing over twelve rounds to edge past the Londoner, delighting the bloodthirsty crowd as the right man had done enough to be rewarded with two new shiny 126-pound titles.

114-114, 115-114, 115-113 read the scorecards after an absorbing contest, the majority decision nod going to an underdog refusing to relent throughout. Armed with a vociferous crowd cheering his every move in his hometown, the 27-year-old got off to an encouraging start by punching first and retaining a tight guard.

After being sternly warned for rabbit punching to finish a frenetic first-round, Abdulah soon had bigger issues to deal with. In the final half-minute of a competitive third, Abdulah instinctively knew he was cut, blood soon streaming down near his right eye as referee Mark Lyson gesticulated it was a head clash.

"Stop overthinking it, go with your shots earlier, you've got to believe it," was the instruction from Abdulah's corner before the fourth and while on the front foot early, Miller had a target to aim at - the right eye clearly bothering the favourite.

Abdulah stalked forward intently in the fifth and while holding the power advantage between them, was clipped cleanly with a stinging counter right during another tightly-contested stanza.

Likely 3-2 either way through five rounds, Abdulah found a home for the uppercut and their close-range exchanges suited him better as he connected to body, then head.

Miller's ringside supporters were increasingly quiet and the 27-year-old was sporting a cut to his right eye through six. Perhaps energised by that, he pitched a defiant seventh with pressure and consistent work - clean scoring shots were doing the trick trying to disrupt Abdulah's rhythm.

Abdulah pinged the Mancunian back on a series of occasions behind his jab in the eighth, physio attention doing its job for Miller as his left eye was cut and the back-and-forth nature of this contest left things finely poised in the final four rounds.

Abdulah landed a lovely one-two with Miller's back near the corner in the final minute of round nine, having already invested downstairs and both embraced rough work up close.

Miller's corner urged him to press the issue, the official separating them more often as they exchanged scoring shots on the inside before a stern warning centre ring as their overtly physical battles persisted.

Tidy it up was Lyson's plea before the penultimate round, both guilty of leading with their head and trying to stretch every ounce of effort in outworking the other. Abdulah's attacks might've been predictable but while Miller countered well, wasn't able to keep the Londoner off his chest.

Abdulah was urged to clean up his punch mechanics and be smarter if they engaged in the clinch as they entered the final round, almost an impossible ask given what he'd expended to reach this juncture.

Miller moved and countered where possible, before Abdulah landed two big rights around the back of his head - boos reverberating around the arena - the referee ignoring any complaints, instead saying it was fair as the challenger turned his head.

That sequence didn't prove decision-altering and a feelgood story was written for a new champion who still doesn't box full-time. Perhaps that will change very shortly.

To kick off the televised portion of tonight's nine-fight bill, 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Lewis Williams (2-0, 1 KO) showed flashes of danger in his left hand but was unable to dismiss the wily Cristian Uwaka after four rounds at heavyweight.

40-36 the score, though the eight-year amateur would've been disappointed not to continue where he left off on his pro debut in November against Lamah Griggs with another knockout victory.

A flurry of whipping left hands got the crowd stirring in the 6ft 7in talent's favour early and he badly hurt Uwaka in the final half-minute of round two before critically smothering his work.

The 39-year-old's high guard stifled punches aplenty and while able to frustrate the 26-year-old across from him, this offering ended on a painful note as he absorbed a low blow before the final bell.

Tyson Fury's younger cousin Walter (3-0) used single shots and angles well, outfoxing a game Joe Hardy effort en route to a 40-37 win for his third victory in eight months on the final non-televised portion of tonight's nine-fight bill.

Hardy's corner were animated throughout, encouraging their charge to bring his best - no showboating - against an untested prospect visibly enjoying himself.

"If you don't throw, you'll never know," came the cry from the 30-fight journeyman's corner, whizzing wildly in round three and having brief periods of success.

Teenage middleweight talent Joe Cooper's search for a first knockout win continues, despite logging a pair of knockdowns against Estonia's Artjom Spatar in their four-round contest.

40-34 the final score as he also improved to 3-0 in the paid ranks, but the Essex youngster would've loved to produce a highlight reel finish with two-time heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury watching ringside in the latter stages.

Cooper floored Spatar midway through the first with a well-timed right hand, taking advantage of reckless forward forays, though the 21-year-old recovered well enough to survive the round.

A left wobbled Spatar and the same shot sent him crashing to the canvas again a round later, though Cooper was unable to pin his busy opponent in a corner and really unload punishment. Instead, he was getting caught flush with his back against the ropes, making for a messy firefight up close to finish.

Derek Chisora's nephew Jermaine Dhliwayo (5-0, 1 KO) didn't have it all his own way, enduring some early rough-housing in the pocket and getting caught with cuffing shots for his troubles.

However, the super-featherweight prospect utilised his jab well and soon got into a groove with combination punching before recording another points victory (40-36) against 18-fight journeyman Mark Butler in the evening's first contest, kicking off another family affair and looking spiteful with his output in the latter stages.

Middleweight: Sofiane Khati TKO7 (1:08) Nathan Heaney

Junior-welterweight: Jack Rafferty TKO7 (1:37) Reece MacMillan

Light-heavyweight: Zach Parker UD10 (98-92, 98-93, 97-94) Mickael Diallo

Featherweight: Zak Miller MD12 (114-114, 115-114, 115-113) Masood Abdulah to win British, Commonwealth titles

Heavyweight: Lewis Williams UD4 (40-36) Cristian Uwaka

Middleweight: Walter Fury UD4 (40-37) Joe Hardy

Middleweight: Joe Cooper UD4 (40-36) Artjom Spatar

Super-featherweight: Jermaine Dhliwayo UD4 (40-36) Mark Butler