Felix Cash falls for the first time in his career after suffering a horror cut as Eddie Hearn and Ben Shalom finally meet

Felix Cash is no longer an undefeated fighter and he has a nasty scar reminiscent of his first defeat.

The highly-rated British middleweight, returning to the ring for the first time in 18 months, was beaten by Tyler Denny by technical decision in a fight he never seemed to control.

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From the start, Denny and Cash engaged in a firefight.

Despite his speed, reach and – at least on paper – skill advantage, Cash was dragged into the early gates of the shootout, resulting in a cut above his right eye in the second round.

Denny, who has won just one of his 24 fights (19-2-3) by knockout during his professional career, appeared to have plenty of power in his hands as he planted his feet and threw punches deaf over the top.

Rather than establishing his jab and boxing with Denny, Cash wasted the first three rounds by getting involved in a brawl.

In the fourth frame he seemed to start to get into his rhythm, but a huge left hook from Denny stopped him in his tracks late in the round just as Cash appeared to be gaining a foothold in the contest.

Both men went out for the fifth, but the doctor quickly intervened and ended the fight after taking a closer look at Cash’s right eye which was covered in burgundy and badly damaged.

Denny cheered as the fight ended, but the referee determined the cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads, meaning the fight was handed over to the judges for a technical decision.

All three saw the fight go in Denny’s favor with scores 49-46, 49-47, 49-47 as Brummie successfully retained his European middleweight title.

Immediately after his victory, Denny said: “I’m a fashionable man. I was beating him so I thought, ‘No, they’re not going to stitch me up.’

“But it never lasted, he was tired after two rounds…

“I’m the man, he got punched in the head. Yeah, it was a cut but the way it was going out there, he was desperate, he was gone.

“Put some respect on my name, he looked down on me.”

The fight wasn’t just significant for the title on the line.

It was also the first time that British promoters Ben Shalom and Eddie Hearn met, the former being Denny’s promoter and the latter representing Cash.

In April, when Shalom joined talkSPORT in studio, he challenged Hearn to sit down with him to talk business after revealing they had never spoken before.

However, their paths finally crossed on Saturday evening.

Giving his verdict on the fight, Hearn said: “It was disappointing with the cut but Tyler was well prepared.

“Obviously it didn’t work out for Felix Cash, 18 months out of the ring and not living the lifestyle he paid the price for, but after meeting this man (Denny) he lived the life and Wolverhampton and the Black Country should be very proud of him.”

Shalom then clocked: “Amazing, thanks to Eddie and Frank, great experience. But this man, every time.

“He was fighting in the Midlands as an away fighter and kept winning and winning and we had to take note of that, he wins the Euros, he defends it.

“To be honest, a lot of people thought Felix Cash was the favorite here. He does it every time, you can never turn against him, he will retire at the end of September right here but thanks again to Eddie and thanks to Frank Smith .”

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