Boxing: Former electrician Josh Padley sparks European title triumph
Josh Padley is the new king of European boxing at 130 pounds.
He demolished France's Jaouad Belmehdi in quick order to become the EBU super featherweight boss.
Just a year ago, Josh was a full-time electrician, hoping to work his way up the ladder while training and boxing in his spare time.
A gutsy nine-round performance against world champion Shakur Stevenson earned him a Matchroom contract and the platform to prove himself.
And this weekend, he did just that, bringing the European championship back to South Yorkshire.
Following the 2025 Stevenson contest, Padley had three fights and collected three belts; Saturday’s win at Newcastle Arena earned him the most prestigious of them all – the vacant European title.
It took him a mere five-and-a-half minutes to overwhelm Belmehdi, 27, (previously 23-2-3) in the north east.
Now there will be opportunities to climb further up the boxing ladder, possibly against the winner or loser of Josh Warrington v Leigh Wood, later this month in Nottingham.
Josh, aged 30, who went into Saturday's fight with an impressive 17-1-0 record, had confidence, a great camp and a decent fan following behind him.
From the opening exchanges, he was neat and compact, opting to pick early body shots against the taller man.
Belmehdi rashly tried to turn the screw after the first break, but walked straight into a well-timed blow which flattened him.
Padley immediately tried to end it, bundling Belmehdi to the canvas in his haste.
The Frenchman got up again, but his legs had deserted him.
A meaty right hand to the temple later and he was on the deck - it was over, with the referee waving frantically to protect the visitor from any more damage.
Beaming in post-fight interview, the Armthorpe warrior said he couldn't ask more than his recent form of three fights, three titles.
"What a way to start the year," he said.
He felt he had been "cool and composed" in only his second fight at 130 pounds.
"I just wanted to get him out of there early - an easy night's work, that was the plan" he said.
Now he wants to "Keep pushing on to better and bigger fights."
Matchroom Boxing CEO Frank Smith said big-ticket seller Padley had "got everything ahead of him" and promised "big nights."
Meanwhile, in Barnsley, former IBF European Heavyweight champion Kash Ali returned to the ring for the first time since March 2024 to defeat Kazakhstan's Viktar Chvarkou.
Six feet six inches tall, Ali, now aged 34, took his record to 22-3-0 after the four-rounder.
Rotherham's Unity gym posted: "First pro to box out of Unity Boxing Centre and put on a dominant performance to come away with a unanimous decision win. “First fight after two years out for Kash, plenty to build on but as a team we’re very happy with where he’s at."
Lewis Booth, previously 17-3-0 stopped Midlands' Khya Preston in a six-rounder on the Metrodome bill. It was the Doncaster man's first outing since losing a central area welterweight title contest to Will Harrison in November.
Preston suffered a cut around his left eye to force the end of the bout.
Rotherham debutant Burhan Nishat, a 25-year-old light heavyweight from the Millennium Boxing gym, launched his professional career with a points win over Callum Ide from Sussex.