Boxing In Britain: Hall, Wright Win Title Fights, Jeffries Held To Draw

British bantamweight champion Stuart Hall continued his sweep through the old guard of the division as the unexpected titlist defeated Martin Power for the second time in less than a year last night at Rainton Meadows Arena in Houghton-le-Spring, England.

Hall was defending the domestic belt for the first time following his shocking eighth round finishing of ex-champion Ian Napa just last month but this wasn’t an easy bout for the 30 year old Darlington man.

Power came out swinging for the fences in the first, battering Hall but the champion weathered the storm to control the pace by the second. The third frame saw Power regain his grip behind a punishing body assault.

But Hall refused to wilt and took the middle rounds only through sheer grit as Power made “Stuey” work for each bit of ground gained as the pair just slugged it out.

Former champ Power came back in the eighth but couldn’t maintain his edge as Hall was back on top in the ninth and by the tenth was punishing the challenger until the contest was stopped at 2:30 of the tenth.

Hall improves to 9-0-1 (5), after retaining the British crown on his maiden voyage and beating Power, 21-6 (9), who has now lost six of his last eight, for the second time.

Local southpaw Nigel Wright, 22-6-1 (9), recaptured the English light welter belt after getting off the canvas in the seventh frame, outpointing Midlands Area champ and former British title challenger Dean Harrison, 16-4 (5), by margins of 98-92, 98-92 and 97-93.

In a surprising result, highly touted super middle Tony Jeffries, 7-0-1 (5), was held to an eight round draw by durable hitting but light veteran Michael Banbula, 10-25-4 (0), at light heavy.

2008 Olympic Bronze Medallist Jeffries was fighting in his first eight rounder but had difficulty in the last two frames as Banbula, who was coming off two 10 round bouts earlier this year, turned up the pressure.

Reportedly the contest was changed beforehand to a six rounder following a reported training injury to Jeffries and the final two rounds were never supposed to have occurred.

Another upset took place when cruiserweight prospect Jon Lewis Dickinson, 8-1 (2), was stopped in the third by Tyrone Wright, 9-4-2 (4), in a heavyweight clash.

Dickinson canvassed Wright in the second before suffering a swollen eye that rendered him a one-eyed fighter before the contest was called at 2:38 of the third.

Wright weighed 40 pounds heavier than when he was knocked out by Paul Davis in an English super middle title clash in December, 2008.