Kid Galahad stops Jazza Dickens in 11th round to become IBF featherweight champion, while Fabio Wardley retains English heavyweight title with a first round knockout of Nick Webb, and Alen Babic stops Mark Bennett in the fifth round
Saturday 7 August 2021 23:15, UK
Kid Galahad clinically stopped Jazza Dickens after 11 rounds of persistent punishment to become the new IBF featherweight champion.
The Sheffield fighter had been denied the IBF title in a split decision defeat to Josh Warrington in 2019, but he captured the vacant belt after gradually breaking down the stubborn resistance of Dickens.
In a lively opener, Dickens had landed a string of early left hands, but sustained a cut over his left eye following a clash of heads.
Galahad began to unload stinging combinations in the second, although Dickens replied with his thudding left hand in the third.
A persistent jab from Galahad in the fourth round was disrupting the rhythm of Dickens, who was also caught by a jolting uppercut in the fifth.
Blood dripped from the damaged nose of Dickens before Galahad was warned for repeatedly treading on the Liverpudlian's foot in the sixth.
Digging deep, Dickens unloaded a cluster of clean shots in the seventh, but Galahad resumed his steady assault in the eighth as he smoothly switched punches from head to body.
A straight left hand briefly staggered Dickens in the ninth and Galahad was not deterred by a point deduction for trampling on his opponent's boot in the 10th.
With Galahad piling on more punches in the 11th, the fight was waved off before Dickens could come out for the final round.
On the undercard, Fabio Wardley inflicted a dramatic knockout on Nick Webb in the first round to retain his English heavyweight title.
Wardley produced a ferocious response after being troubled by Webb's early assault as he clubbed the Chertsey man to the canvas before the fight was swiftly halted by referee Kieran McCann.
Alen 'The Savage' Babic finally forced Mark Bennett's corner to intervene after a punishing five-round heavyweight brawl.
The Croatian contender recklessly traded punches with Bennett, who bravely clung on despite a torrent of shots, until his trainer signalled the end before the sixth.
Johnny 'The Romford Bull' Fisher, another British heavyweight prospect, had earlier stopped Danny Whitaker in the second round after pounding his opponent to the canvas on two occasions.
Australia's Ebanie Bridges put her points loss to Shannon Courtenay behind her as she floored Bec Connolly and then forced a stoppage in the fifth round.
