Terri is the queen of South Yorkshire boxing

And it was the most important show in Doncaster since Jamie McDonnell outpointed Mexican Julio Ceja at Rovers’ ground in 2013.

Nights like this are to be cherished.

And South Yorkshire today should celebrate its place at the top table of the sport, both domestic and otherwise.

Callum Johnson is the hero of Barnsley, Sheffield has worthy champions Dalton Smith and Shakiel Thompson.

Rotherham has new kids on the block Junaid Bostan and Taz Nadeem.

But this weekend truly belongs to the queen of the EcoPower Stadium, Terri Harper.

She was already assured of her place in history, being the first British woman to win titles in three weight divisions, a feat she achieved at the Park Community Arena, Sheffield eight months ago.

On Friday, topping the GBM bill in her home city, the 28-year-old from Denaby Main comprehensively outpointed previously unbeaten German Natalie Zimmermann, with three judges agreeing on a 99-91 verdict.

The 42-year-old contender from Hamburg’s previous seven fights have gone the distance, but she was shorter and slightly lighter, and more importantly, had nothing in her locker to reverse the dominant boxing exhibition.

South Yorkshire’s WBO World lightweight champion comfortably retained one of her prized belts and was already thinking of the next stop in her illustrious journey.

Later, she described the event as a “dream come true.”

She reiterated her desire to unify the division, calling out WBC Champion Caroline Dubois.

“That gets my fire burning. I said it the other day in the press conference, she rubs me up the wrong way. That fight makes sense.”

Nothing is certain in arranging boxing matches though, and Harper is right to also consider showdowns with Beatriz Ferreira (IBF) or Stephanie Han (WBA), saying: “I want to go on to fight the other champions and really step up.”

Doncaster’s courageous Jimmy Joe Flint produced the most memorable scrap of the night.

He picked up a shoulder injury in the second round against pumped-up Haithem Laamouz.

Flint returned to the corner, shaking his head, before re-emerging with a damage limitation mindset – and no use of his right arm.

It seemed reasonable to expect the towel to go in but Flint was having none of it.

Showing astonishing resilience, he got stronger towards the end of the 10-rounder, and both men put on a barnstorming finish.

Laamouz, who had lost to Sheffield’s Keanen Wainwright in 2023, did enough to take home the IBO Continental super lightweight title, but, for once, fans will remember the defeated fighter over the victor.

In the chef support bout, Haxey’s former world champion Maxi Hughes, 35, and Londoner Archie Sharp, 30, contested the WBC Silver sightweight cChampionship, both hoping to graduate to a WBC eliminator or a direct title shot.

It was dull at times, but the craggy home fighter secured a unanimous decision win.

“I’ve had my heart set on the WBC world championship for a long time, and tonight I took a big step closer to achieving that dream,” he said.

“This belt should earn me an eliminator bout for a shot at the world title, but maybe I can get an immediate title shot with it. Either way is fine with me,” he said.

The current WBC World lightweight champion is Shakur Stevenson, who beat Doncaster’s Josh Padley in Saudi Arabia in February.

Rotherham’s musclebound butcher Taz Nadeem, continued his upward trajectory with a steady points win over game Iranian Bahadur Karami.

There was a blow to the card in the run-up, with the British, Commonwealth and WBO Super Bantamweight Championship bout between defending champion Tysie Gallagher and Steel City’s Ebonie Jones cancelled, after Jones withdrew.

The Darnall fighter had been unable to make weight.

Gallagher said she was “absolutely devastated” that the fight was pulled from the card.

“I had put everything into this camp,” she said, reminding her online viewers that an initial contest with Ebonie, due to take place in February, was shelved because of a family tragedy.

She said she had been training for six months, and there had been plenty of notice.

“Unfortunately Ebonie could not stick to her end of the bargain.

“I think it is disgraceful if a fighter can’t make weight. I did everything my end and I was ready to put on a great performance.”

Friday Card results include:

Terri Harper (Doncaster) previously 15 2 2 beat Natalie Zimmermann (Germany) 13 0 0 lightweight

Maxi Hughes (Doncaster) 28 7 2 bt Archie Sharp (Kent) 25 1 0 light

Ellie Hellewell (Rotherham) 6 0 0 bt Stevi Levy (Norfolk) 13 3 0 feather

Reece Mould (Doncaster) 20 3 0 lost to Lewis Sylvester (Hull) 15 1 0 light

Jimmy Joe Flint (Doncaster) 15 2 2 lost to Haithem Laamouz (Malta) 20 2 0 super light

Taz Nadeem 5 0 0 (Rotherham) bt Bahadur Karami 4 29 4 (Manchester/Iran) super middle

Edward Hardy 3 0 0 (Doncaster) bt Darwing Martinez (Nicaragua) 8 30 2 feather

Joe Hayden 17 0 0 (Conisbrough) bt Lewis Booth (Doncaster) 16 1 0 super welter

Jamie Mellers 7 1 0 (Auckley) bt Cameron Kaihau, (Warmsworth) 9 1 0 super welter.