Tyrone lifts Commonwealth and WBC belt in twelve round title fight

Tyrone Buttigieg made history in San Roque, becoming the first Gibraltarian to lift both the WBC International and Commonwealth titles in a dramatic 12-round battle that cemented his place among the Rock’s sporting elite.
Tyrone Buttigieg went into a 12-round double-title fight against an Indian fighter who had won 15 of his last 18 bouts, although this was his first fight outside Asia.
One fight Buttigieg said he had watched closely in preparation was his opponent’s 16th win — a bout from two months ago which had not been officially recorded but had been filmed.
This was the first time a Commonwealth title was being contested in Spain, and it was also Tyrone’s first 12-round fight. Ranked 15th in the world in his category, Tyrone Buttigieg returned to the ring to face Indian boxer Saurabh Kumar at the Admiral Casino in San Roque (Cádiz). It was his 12th professional fight, having arrived undefeated in his previous eleven.
He was fighting for both the WBC International title and the Commonwealth super bantamweight title.
Before the fight, Buttigieg said he wanted to control the centre of the ring, make his opponent work first, and dictate the movement. He knew he would be well supported, with a sell-out crowd that included many Gibraltar supporters once again at the Admiral Casino in San Roque.
Once again, Minister Nigel Feetham was present, wearing a Gibraltar national team shirt in support of the local fighter. The Minister has attended several of the Gibraltar boxer’s fights, witnessing his rise, including winning the WBO Latino gold champion belt and later being recognised in Gibraltar with the GBC Sports Personality of the Year award.
As the now familiar “Sweet Caroline” played, the crowd welcomed the start of the main event after a series of amateur and professional bouts, which had included Gibraltarian fighters.
Tyrone entered the ring to a roaring crowd, in stark contrast to his opponent, who, largely unknown in this part of the world, received a polite reception.
“El Bombero,” as Tyrone is known, made his entrance to the sounds of Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight, showcasing the showman Gibraltar has come to embrace as its boxing hero.
The national anthems of Italy (in tribute to the referee), India, and Gibraltar were played. The Gibraltar anthem, sung by Nathan Payas with the flag raised in the ring, marked the official start of the contest.
Tyrone did as he had promised, taking control of the centre from the opening bell and throwing the first combinations. Kumar responded with a brief burst toward the end of the first round, but with Buttigieg keeping a tight guard, only one clean jab landed.
The visiting boxer showed quick footwork and intent, looking to make his own statement early on.
Maintaining a strong, disciplined stance, Buttigieg began to land more consistently, with the crowd firmly behind him. By the second round, he looked well in control.
The third round saw Tyrone’s explosive counter-punching come to the fore. Holding the centre, he forced his opponent to work, walking him around the ring and towards the ropes.
As he had indicated before the fight, Buttigieg paced himself through the rounds in what was a demanding 12-round contest.
Kumar managed to land a few shots, but Buttigieg responded quickly with uppercuts and body shots in the fourth, heading into the fifth looking confident.
In the fifth round, Tyrone took a tumble, judged to have resulted from a push. He took a moment to recover before returning strongly, landing a hook and pressing his opponent back onto the ropes toward the end of the round — a solid comeback.
The Gibraltar fighter continued to demonstrate why he has achieved success in the professional ranks.
Buttigieg controlled much of the sixth round with his opponent on the ropes, although Kumar attempted some menacing counters, which Tyrone carefully avoided.
By the seventh round, Kumar was visibly tiring, throwing less and dropping his guard at times, while Buttigieg maintained control of the centre with a disciplined, tight defence.
The eighth round saw Kumar respond, finding a better rhythm and landing a combination that briefly put Buttigieg on the back foot. After a slight wobble, Buttigieg regained composure, pushed Kumar back to the ropes, and finished the round strongly.
The ninth round was closely contested. Buttigieg continued to work his opponent, but Kumar still carried power in his swings, posing a threat as they moved into the tenth.
In the tenth, Kumar landed several shots that briefly had Buttigieg on the ropes, as the Gibraltar fighter pushed beyond the distance he was accustomed to.
In the eleventh, Buttigieg showed resilience, matching his opponent and proving he still had energy left as they exchanged blows.
With tension high, both fighters entered the final round with determination. Kumar looked for a decisive finish, throwing heavily and showing the power that had brought him many knockout victories.
A punishing final round saw Buttigieg receive a ten count with 50 seconds remaining, but he rose and continued.
After a hard-fought finish, the outcome was left to the judges’ scorecards.
A split decision saw Gibraltar’s Tyrone Buttigieg claim both title belts in what was a closely contested bout, reflected in the judges’ verdict.
Buttigieg lifted both the WBC International title and the Commonwealth super bantamweight title.