Deep cut is turning point as Shinny holds on for a draw

BLOODY BATTLE: Shinny Bayaar (right) takes the fight to Ashley Sexton. Picture by Leigh Dawney.

BOXING: A REMATCH is on the cards after belt holder Shinny Bayaar and rising star Ashley Sexton could not be separated in a bloody 12-round British flyweight showdown.

The 32-year-old Tara boxer commanded the first eight rounds of the fight in Dagenham, picking off his younger opponent at will.

The turning point came in the ninth when Bayaar, born in Mongolia but now a British citizen, suffererd a deep cut after a clash of heads. Tara trainer Jack Doughty had to work overtime in the corner to stem the flow of blood, and the incident seemed to spur Sexton, who put in a grandstand finish.

Clearly in pain, Bayaar was forced to hang on in the final rounds as the unbeaten 22-year-old, from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, poured forward at every opportunity.

Sexton saw his chance and hammered away at an increasingly fragile champion as the contest entered the final two rounds. But Bayaar, who lives in Sale, had probably done enough earlier on to keep hold of his title, eventually settling for a draw on the scorecards 116-112, 112-116 and 114-114.

Bayaar said: "He (Sexton) pushed me in the last few rounds, but after the cut I lost my plan.

"It was a tough fight and I respect the draw, it's fair enough for me, anyway."

Promoter Frank Maloney said: “It derserves a rematch. It was a good fight and the crowd enjoyed it. Shinny had done all the early work and was in the lead, but Ashley came back. I think Ashley would like the rematch straightaway, but Shinny's got a few cuts, so probably deserves a bit of a rest."