Watson’s ‘sweet’ return

Craig Watson: the 28-year-old will fight on the undercard to Anthony Crolla’s British title clash with Derry Mathews.

BOXING:

OLDHAM boxer Craig Watson says he is enjoying a “new lease of life” after opting against hanging up his gloves.

Successive British welterweight title defeats against Essex scrapper Lee Purdy, the second of which came in a hometown bout at Oldham Sports Centre, left the 28-year-old considering his future in the sport.

But an eight-month break and the arrival of baby daughter Maisy Rose has reinvigorated Watson.

And he was delighted to be asked to fight at the sports centre on Saturday, April 21 on the undercard of Anthony Crolla’s clash with Derry Mathews.

The all-North-West affair is Crolla’s second defence of his British lightweight title.

Oldham scrapper Watson said: “I had four or five fights in a short space of time and the last couple didn’t go my way, so I got to the point where I wondered what the future held. I took a step back, had a complete break and welcomed Maisy Rose into the world and things feel so much better.”

On April 21 boxing starts at 6.15pm. For ticket information visit www.hattonboxing.com



OLDHAM welterweight Mark Heffron knocked out Fehti Bentafna, who had not been stopped before, in the first round of their bout at the Wellness Profi Centre in Amsterdam, courtesy of a superb left hook.

It was 20-year-old Heffron’s sixth straight win since turning professional, five of which were KOs.

His Failsworth-based trainer Anthony Farnell said: “Mark is very

highly-rated but I must say, knocking out a lad who had never been stopped, and doing so in the first round, exceeded expectations.”