Leicester binman Rendall Munroe retained his European super-bantamweight title with a gruelling points victory over Simone Maludrottu.
Munroe retains European title - steps closer to world tilt
Leicester binman Rendall Munroe retained his European super-bantamweight title with a gruelling points victory over Simone Maludrottu.
Munroe was making the fifth defence of the belt and it was always likely to be his hardest to date, despite starting a hot favourite with the bookmakers.
And it was former European bantamweight champion Maludrottu who made the early running, commanding the centre of the ring with the harder shots as Munroe's attack lacked penetration.
The 29-year-old's first real crisis came in the fifth when the Italian cut him above the right eye, and the next was an even affair as both fighters kept up a relentless pace.
In an enthralling contest, Munroe started to get the upper hand as he swarmed forward, his left hooks upstairs and down beginning to wear on an opponent who was showing signs of fatigue by the end of the seventh.
The Leicester man forced the Italian on to the ropes for lengthy intervals, making the most of his size and never allowing him a moment's rest.
Munroe dominated the later rounds until Maludrottu, who gained a points verdict over Ian Napa on his last visit to these shores two-and-a-half years ago, threw everything at Munroe in the last three minutes, landing with several good shots.
But as the final bell sounded the end of a gripping contest, it was clear that the home fighter held the upper hand and so it proved, with the judges scoring it 116-112 twice and 115-113.
"It was very tough, we knew he would match me for stamina and so it proved," said Munroe. "He was in my gateway and I had to move him out of the way.
"I'm ready for whatever fight my team gets for me."
