Appleby sees off Pickering

Scot defends British featherweight title with convincing points win

Last updated: 29th November 2008

Appleby sees off Pickering

Appleby: points victory

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Paul Appleby defended his British featherweight title as he claimed a convincing points verdict over experienced challenger Esham Pickering on Friday night.

Having bossed the early and middle rounds of the contest, Appleby's victory never really looked in doubt although Pickering did rally later in the fight.

It was the Scottish youngster who made virtually all the running throughout, but his opponent - while negative in the main - showed commendable resilience to see out the bout.

However, ultimately Appleby secured a lop-sided triumph on the scorecards, winning 116-113, 117-112 and 117-111.

The 21-year-old had promised he would have too much speed and energy for his opponent and went about demonstrating it from the first bell as he was instantly on the front foot.

The first few rounds saw a succession of attacking combinations from Appleby as he went in search of a spectacular early stoppage.

Pickering was confined to covering up and defending for long spells as he sought to keep his rampant opponent at range.

But try as Appleby might he could not land a decisive blow as his 31-year-old rival worked hard to keep himself in the contest.

Indeed, it looked briefly although Appleby could have punched himself out as Pickering enjoyed his best rounds of the fight in the eighth and ninth to raise hopes of a comeback.

But the Scottish youngster came again in the closing stages and, after threatening to finish the job inside the distance in the last, emerged a convincing winner at Glasgow's Bellahouston Leisure Centre.

However, Appleby was far from pleased with his display, telling Sky Sports afterwards: "To be honest it wasn't a very good performance, there are a lot of things there to work on there and I wasn't too sharp tonight.

"I got caught with far too many punches and I wasn't throwing my jab fast enough. It's one of those days, I still won it and I thought I won it well, but it could have been a lot easier."