FEEL THE BYRNE

Kerr is well beaten in Celtic title contest

THERE had been talk going into this clash for the vacant Celtic superwelterweight title at the Crowne Plaza Hotel of retirement looming for Loughlinstown’s Jay Byrne. If that indeed does turn out to be the case, he will bow out on the back of a career-best victory, having ended the hopes of Glasgow’s Scottish middleweight champ

Marc Kerr. Judges Howard Foster, Pringle and Darren Maxwell all turned in cards in the Irishman’s favour to the tune of 99-91, 98-92 and 97-94 respectively. Shaun Messer was the third man.

Scottish cruiserweight titlist Jay Mcfarlane had twice previously been outpointed by Sheffield’s David Howe, most recently at this same venue 14 months ago. However, the much heavier Yorkshireman has gone backwards since then. With his punch resistance not what it once was, it came as no huge surprise when, for the fifth consecutive bout, he was beaten inside the distance. A body shot did the damage in the first round of a scheduled four.

There were opening-round victories too for Ayr’s Calvin Mccord and Aberdeen’s heavyhanded Dean Sutherland. Mccord quickly brought down the curtain in a slated six against Oldham-based Zimbabwean

Taka Bembere, while southpaw Sutherland KO’D Halifax’s tough

Vinny Atkins. A short right to the head, hot on the heels of a combination that began with a precise right uppercut, sent Atkins over backwards. It had been set for six.

Two that did run their allotted distance were both six-rounders. Dundee portsider Paul Kean and local Aston Brown, back after a 16-month spell of inactivity, triumphed over Wigan’s Greecekenny born Sotiris Papageorgiou and Middleton’s gritty Darryl Sharp respectively.

THE VERDICT The sold-out signs were up for this Kynoch Boxing dinner show, despite a clash with another Glasgow event.