Brad Pauls won the British middleweight title with a 12th-round stoppage victory over Nathan Heaney in the main event of the Magnificent 7 card in Birmingham. In a rematch from a fight scored a draw four months ago, Pauls was behind early but dropped the Stoke fighter in the fourth round and after momentum swung either way, the new champion ended the bout two minutes before the end of the contest.

An incredible flurry in the final round, saw Brad Pauls win the British middleweight champion in his rematch with Nathan Heaney.

Four months on from their first meeting which was scored a draw, Heaney took the early rounds controlling the contest with his jab, as Pauls could not get in close to land more than single shots - and was getting countered even when he did so.

One punch changed the fight. Heaney threw a slower jab which Pauls countered with an overhand right which put the champion onto the canvas.

Although the Stoke fighter still had moments landing straight jabs and one-twos, he could not keep off Pauls' flurries of power shots for the next four rounds.

Heaney recovered in the ninth round, with Pauls now feeling the pace, and his cleaner work seemed to take this three-minute segment - and the next.

The momentum swung again in the penultimate round as Pauls landed wild right hands with his opponent's back on the ropes and then another big right clearly wobbled Heaney who was kept up by the ropes with his legs clearly unsteady.

Pauls' corner implored him to start the 12th where he left off the 11th and he did so hurting Heaney with a right hand and then unleashing a flurry of shots which saw the champion drop to the floor in the neutral corner.
Heaney did not have anything left after such an exhausting fight to beat the referee's count of 10.

Speaking afterwards to TNT Sports, Pauls was quick to thank his long-time coach Terry Steward for guiding him to glory.

"I owe it to Terry - he's been with me since day one," Pauls said.

"I fought on small halls for my first 15 fights and now I finally got my roses, I owe it all to Terry for sticking with me every day. What a man."

https://www.tntsports.co.uk/boxing/b...48/story.shtml