Relentless Welshman Gavin Gwynne stunned heavily favoured Belfast southpaw Sean McComb in seven rounds to seize the vacant Commonwealth lightweight title at the Bolton Whites Hotel on Friday night.
In a bloody contest fought at a high tempo, the skilful McComb (11-1, 5 KOs) suffered cuts to his right eye (first) and cheek (sixth), with the ceaseless Welshman sustaining a nasty gash on the back of his head in the fifth following an accidental elbow.
But the tough Gwynne (13-2, 3 KOs) would not take a backward step, dragging McComb into a dogfight, eventually forcing the Northern Irishman to turn his back in the seventh.
“I put so much into this camp, I was super fit, no one was going to beat me,” said a jubilant Gwynne afterwards. “I could have been in with any world-class fighter and I wouldn’t have stopped. And that was only first gear. Tony {Borg] told me ‘don’t go up a gear, wait until he starts tiring’. But I didn’t have to.
“I knew I couldn’t stay on the backfoot with him. He was a world-class amateur, I couldn’t outbox him, I had to take it to him and take him out of his stride, then cut him up. I cut him in the first and I knew that would play on him, then I cut him in the second. Then I started going to work and started landing big shots.
“Fair play to him, he stayed on his feet. I caught him with a big right on top of the head and he turned. I can’t find the words for how much this means to me.”
On the undercard, Stockwell’s Samuel Antwi (13-1, 6 KOs) won the vacant English welterweight title by halting Bradford southpaw Darren Tetley (20-2, 9 KOs) in the sixth round.
Londoner Antwi registered knockdowns in the first and sixth with vicious body shots though some felt referee Michael Alexander’s eventual intervention was premature.
“He was a game opponent. I knew it would be tricky but I found the shot I was looking for, stuck to the gameplan and then we got him out of there,” said Antwi.
“I didn’t want to rush the work as I thought I may make more mistakes. I landed some good shots, took my time and was patient with it. We got there in the end and now this is my foot in the door of a very busy welterweight scene.
“It’s been a year out for me and this is my first fight back. We got the ring rust out the way, now I’m warmed up and ready to go.”
Sidcup’s Danny Carr (12-0-1, 4 KOs) retained his Southern Area super-featherweight title on the cards against Yeovil’s Dean Dodge (9-1-1, 3 KOs). Referee Howard Foster scored 97-93.
“It’s been a while without a fight, so I had to put a lot of hard work in the gym and it has paid off. There was a bit of to and fro with Dodge in the build-up, but in the ring I did what I needed to do,” said Carr.
“I was always confident of getting the job done, and now that the momentum is out the way I want to keep fighting. I want the English title next, and hopefully I can get that soon.”
Limerick welterweight hope Paddy Donovan (6-0, 4 KOs) looked mightily impressive, forcing Hackney’s Siar Ozgul (15-6, 3 KOs) to withdraw after four rounds. The Irish southpaw battered his more seasoned foe to the body and stepped up his assault in a one-sided fourth before Ozgul’s corner pulled their man out.
“Training was tough. It hasn’t been easy with this lockdown due to the restrictions going on, so I did a lot of training with my dad and wasn’t with Andy Lee much, but once these restrictions are lifted me and Andy will be back together training hard,” said Donovan.
“Ozgul brought a big challenge, but my skill and brain overcame that challenge well. My hand is a bit sore so if not for that I would have probably gone for the knockout a bit earlier, but it was good to get him out of there.
“The plan now is to just keep working hard and improving. I want to try and get to 10-0 by the end of the year and then challenge for a title.”
In a battle of unbeatens, Coatbridge super-featherweight Mark McKeown (4-0, 2 KOs) halted Nottinghamshire’s Brad Daws (6-1, 2 KOs). Daws was down twice from right hands in the second before referee Steve Gray waved it off.
“In the first round I got my jab going and was a bit looser, then in the second round as soon as I let the shot go that I’ve been working on we got the job done,” said McKeown.
“These are the fights that I want. I don’t want to be 15 fights in having not been tested, and thankfully we’re doing it where I have been in there with opponents that are coming to win.
“I love training, and a few days after a fight I’m already back in the gym trying to improve. I did some sparring with Ricky Burns so he was helping me out with this fight, so I’m thankful for him, too.”
Meanwhile, Dublin 140-pounder Pierce O’ Leary (6-0, 2 KOs) outscored Burton-based Filipino Irvin Magno (5-4-1, 1 KO) over six; Sidcup welterweight Elliot Whale (4-0, 1 KO) decisioned Longton’s Jamie Stewart (2-1-1, 0 KOs) in a six-rounder and Peterborough middle Mohammed Sameer (2-0, 1 KO) outpointed Walsall’s Kearon Thomas (1-10-1, 1 KO) over four.
Main image: MTK Global.