HUGHIE AND THE NEWS
Fury claims British honours after dispatching Sexton in impressive style
Fury sweeps Sam Sexton aside to pick up the British heavyweight title
A PEACH of a right hand delivered by Manchester’s Hughie Fury in the fifth round at Bolton Whites Hotel not only robbed Norwich’s Sam Sexton of his senses but also of his British heavyweight title, ensuring that the Lonsdale Belt once more became the property of the fighting Fury family (Hughie’s cousin Tyson having twice previously won the most coveted prize in domestic boxing).
For the best part of four rounds, Sexton ambled forward behind the jab and looked to cut off the ring, while the relaxed challenger happily threw his own jabs off the back foot, waiting for the opportunity to slam home a clubbing right. Sexton had taken several of those rights in his stride without wilting, but he finally fell victim to a pair thrown in quick succession that sent him sideways and over in the dying seconds of the fourth.
The breakthrough made, former WBO title challenger Fury didn’t rush it and kept things at a distance in the early part of the next, before finishing it by catching the incoming Sexton with one more short right that sent his opponent over backwards. Referee Terry O’connor waved a halt with 2-03 having gone, despite the stunned champion rising at a count of ‘seven’. he bout between Leeds’ Reece
Cartwright and Argentine Juan Adrian Monzon was over just 45 seconds into the third of a scheduled 10 when the Yorkshireman delivered a cracking left downstairs. The shot dropped Monzon in centre ring and saw him counted out on all fours by third man John Latham. Another 10, overseen by Mr Latham, between Galway’s Peter Mcdonagh and Hungary’s Peter Kramer ended all square at 96-96, a result that, while not being particularly welcomed by the spectators, didn’t look particularly far off the mark.
Bexleyheath’s Yusuf Safa maintained his 100 per cent record by registering an 80-71 success over Barcelona-based Nicaraguan Jose Aguilar. With the clock running down, Safa uncorked a short right that put Aguilar down. Referee Phil Edwards had scant need to check his card at the end.
Hartlepool’s Savannah Marshall impressed on what was her first outing in the UK, disposing of Czech Ester Konecna in less than four minutes. Mr Edwards brought a halt to the one-sided encounter with 17 seconds remaining in the second of a scheduled eight-twos after the visitor – backed into a corner by a decent combination upstairs – was tagged by a left to the body and a precise left uppercut.
In the first of two contests which went ahead immediately following the man event, Chorley’s Mark Jeffers delighted his baying supporters by disposing of Estonian Pjotr Filatov in no time at all. The visitor had already been counted by referee Latham after touching down under fire late in the opener, and it was all downhill from there. A left hot on the heels of a right cross saw him floored again, and it was halted after just 66 seconds of round two (set for six).
Altrincham’s George Brennan proved far too adept for another Barcelonabased Nicaraguan in Jose Hernandez, who was bested throughout. Brennan, never letting the pace drop behind a snappy jab, took all four sessions (40-36) for referee Edwards, his right uppercut connecting with increasing frequency. Stoke first-timer Shabaz Masoud was in no mood for hanging about in his fourrounder. He needed just over two-anda-half rounds to halt Bulgarian Stefan Sashov. Referee Latham deemed enough was enough with 69 seconds of the third left, after Sashov crumpled for the second time in quick succession.
Another Stoke operator, Nathan Heaney, needed just 11 seconds longer to chop down Aberystwyth’s Sean Gorman who, in another four-rounder overseen by Mr Latham, fell victim to a succession of body shots.
One of just four contests to run its allotted course on this Hennessy Sports promotion was between Morecambe’s Reece Macmillan and Amsterdam’s Nigeria-born Innocent Anyanwu. It proved a cracker, with Macmillan taking the 40-37 decision from Mr Edwards. Anyanwu was always in there banging, though.
THE VERDICT Defeat may well spell the end for Sexton, who had hinted at retiring should he lose, but for Fury there will doubtless be many more glory nights.