Buckland Defeats Truscott, Targets European Title

Gary Buckland sent a warning to Europe’s top super-featherweights in Sheffield Saturday night.

The Newport traveller made a successful first British title defensive with a unanimous points win against brave Paul Truscott at sold-out Ponds Forge Arena.

Buckland dropped his Middlesbrough challenger with a body shot in round ten and took his record to 25 wins and two defeats with the judges’ scoring 120-108, 119-109 and 118-110.

The 25 year-old said: “The plan was to take it to him and I thought I had him finished when he went down but Paul is a good boy. I was beating him to the jab and if you can do that then the fight is in your hands. He made a fight of it though.”

Although Buckland fancies a crack at European champion Ermano Fegatilli – a clash against Hatton Promotions stable-mate Stephen Foster Jr is set to happen this summer.

Hatton Promotions CEO Ricky Hatton said: “I would definitely like to make the Foster Jr fight next. What a fight that would be – a possible fight of the year candidate. It is onwards and upwards for Gary, but I am also proud of Paul for the part he played in the fight.”

Former Commonwealth featherweight champion Truscott’s record dropped to 18-3.

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