Martin J Ward wins his rematch with Maxi Hughes in convincing fashion
Saturday 11 April 2015 23:46, UK
Martin J Ward set the record straight against Maxi Hughes after claiming a fifth-round stoppage in their super-featherweight rematch.
The Essex man was forced to overcome two contentious knockdowns to claim a draw in December, but he cleared up any controversy in the return bout as Hughes failed to come out for the sixth.
Ward was far too rash with his early attacks and Hughes picked him off with precise counters, landing a crisp left in the second.
As he started to settle, Ward unleashed a crisp flurry in the fourth, and he brought the fight to a sudden halt with a damaging assault in the fifth.
A jolting uppercut left Hughes with a badly damaged nose and the Yorkshireman was pulled out by his concerned cornermen at the end of the round.
Earlier in the night, Tyrone Nurse stayed in British light-welterweight title contention after a dominant points win over replacement opponent Liam Taylor.
The Huddersfield man was due to battle Chris Jenkins for the Lonsdale belt, but the Welshman pulled out through illness and Nurse stayed busy with a unanimous decision win.
Taylor, a late replacement, clung on bravely to hear the final bell after being floored in the seventh round by a left hook to the body.
In another undercard bout, Jono Carroll claimed a comfortable points win over Carlos Perez as he returned to the ring following his Prizefighter triumph in December.
The Irish lightweight was rarely troubled by the Spaniard and coasted to a 60-54 victory.
