Munroe retains his crown

Napa takes overwhelming points decision

Last updated: 2nd May 2008

Munroe retains his crown

Munroe: first defence

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Rendall Munroe made a successful first defence of his European Super-Bantamweight title with a seven-round stoppage of France's Salem Bouaita.

Leicester binman Munroe won the title just eight weeks ago but was back in action at Harvey Hadden Leisure Centre in Nottingham against the veteran number one challenger.

Munroe, 27, took his record to 15 wins from 16 fights with an all-action display that eventualy overwhelmed the 33-year-old.

He landed plenty of punches as he pressurised Bouaita throughout and hurt his opponent with a jolting left at the end of the sixth.

Bouaita's corner cited an injured arm as the reason for his failure to appear at the start of the eighth round, although Munroe was well on top and looked to be heading towards a comprehensive victory.

"It was tough - I think he just came for the payday - all he kept on doing was holding me all the time," Munroe told Sky Sports. "What could I do? I just kept pushing forward.

"He just came here to try and survive but I was too strong for him."

Napa

Earlier in the evening, Hackney's Ian 'Dapper' Napa made a third successful defence of his British Bantamweight title within seven months.

The 30-year-old - Britain's smallest professional fighter at 5ft 1in tall - earned an overwhelming points verdict over Belfast's Colin Moffett.

The victory gives Napa a Lonsdale belt outright.

Moffett, 33, went to toe-to-toe with Napa for 12 gruelling rounds but could not match the champion for slickness or class.

Moffett shipped a right hand at the end of the 11th round and although he appeared to slip, veteran referee Micky Vann administered a standing count.

Napa won 119-109, 117-111 and 119-108 on the judges' scorecards to take his record to 17 wins from 23 fights.