Sunny Edwards: Sheffield's former world champion wins in Arizona in peculiar circumstances
Sheffield-based former world champion Sunny Edwards triumphed in an American ring in the most peculiar of circumstances.
The Greystones flyweight was comprehensively outboxing Mexican adversary Adrian Curiel in Phoenix, Arizona on Saturday.
However, an accidental clash of heads had opened up a wide gash on the Steel City Gym's forehead.
They boxed on until the ringside doctor intervened, insisting that Edwards was unfit to continue.
As the cut was inflicted by a butt, the match ruling went to the officials, who plumped in his favour, 90-82, 88-84 and 87-85.
The victory was essential to the Brit; he'd lost his unbeaten record to Jesse ‘Bam’ Rodriguez in December, also in Arizona.
“I managed to leave Arizona uglier than I came twice in a row,” Edwards joked, who was seriously impressed by the scorecards.
“I don’t expect any favours when I come to America...I thought I won every round, I gave him one round maybe.
"The doctor stopped the cut... no decision of mine, I'm more upset than any of the 10,000 fans in here."
The 28-year-old wants to fight 2020 Olympic Gold medalist Galal Yafai next.
Meanwhile back in South Yorkshire, a Ryan Rhodes-Stefy Bull bill at the Magna Centre, Rotherham - which had been hit by several boxers having to pull out of planned bouts - went ahead and delivered some spectacular action.
Welterweight Dom Hunt, who trains at Sheffield's Riley's gym, felt the taste of defeat for the first time in his professional career.
Boxing journalist Jake Skinn was at the ringside to report how Dom suffered a first-round knockout loss to Ben Vaughan, in a British title eliminator.
Vaughan, a southpaw, landed a crisp shot that caught Dom cold. Dom got up of the canvas, to fight on. However when Vaughan threw a straight left that wobbled Hunt again, the referee stopped the contest.
There was another setback on the night when Doncaster's James Flint fought Scotland's Kyle Boyd for the IBO Super Lightweight Continental Title.
The 10-round battle saw Flint cut, in the fourth, above his right eye in another clash of heads.
It was a close fight and that was reflected in the judges' scorecards, they gave Boyd the split decision win.
Doncaster's Hughie Wilson who trains out of Rhodes' Box Southpaw gym in Shalesmoor blitzed through opponent Les Urry, scoring a first round knockout, Wilson threw a left hook to the body which floored the fighter from Hull.
The referee deemed Urry was in no position to continue and waved the fight off. Wilson remains unbeaten with a record of 9-0-0.
Newark's Chad Sugden saw his momentum continue after scoring a points decision win over Bahadur Karami in a six-rounder.
Sudgen, the former ISKA kickboxing World Champion put on a good display of boxing, by claiming a 59-55 victory.
Steel City's Ebonie Jones impressed on her return back to the ring after almost a year out.
Jones, trained by Pearce Gudgeon, won the eight-rounder 80-73.
Parson Cross's Claire Watts gained valuable experience in an exhibition against two-weight world champion Terri Harper in a four-rounder. Watts' intended opponent pulled out just days before the bout.
THE BILL
Dom Hunt (Wakefield/Sheffield Riley's gym) W15 L0 D0 lost to Ben Vaughan (Northampton) 9 0 0; welterweight
Ebonie Jones (Sheffield) 4 0 1 beat Jamillette Janitza Vallejos (Nicaragua) 3 14 2 feather.
James Flint (Doncaster) 14 1 2 split decision loss to Kyle Boyd (Airdrie) 6 1 0; super light.
Hughie Wilson (Doncaster/Sheffield) 8 0 0 stopped Les Urry (Hull) 2 0 1; super light.
Chad Sugden (Newark) 13 3 1 bt Bahadur Karami (Manchester) light heavy.
FRIDAY BARNSLEY BILL
Connan Murray 8 0 0 (Cusworth) stopped Martin Shaw 4 24 3 (Rotherham) middle.
Mohammed Subhaan 6 0 0 (Bradford) stopped Stefan Vincent 2 17 0 (Dorset) light.
Dempsey Wale (Barnsley) 10 0 0 bt Ramiro Garcia Lopez (Mexico) super light
Paul Clewes 8 1 0 (Doncaster) bt Edgar Romero (Mexico) 13 25 3 super middle
Joe Hayden 13 0 0 (Conisbrough) bt Paul Scaife (Mosborough) 1 42 1 super welter.
*Meanwhile, in Brentwood, Sheffield super middle Nicolie Campbell won a six rounder over Jackson Osagie in his first fight of the year. The pulsating boxing weekend had started on a high, with Conisbrough's Conner Kelsall outpointing local boy Conor Quinn over 12 rounds, in Belfast, to secure the vacant Commonwealth Boxing Council Flyweight title.