Heffron stuns unbeaten rival

BOXING: MARK Heffron produced a devastating performance when he knocked out previously unbeaten opponent Chris O’Brien after 70 seconds.

Welterweight Heffron, the ex-Northside ABC and Boarshaw club member who trains at Gallagher’s Gym in Denton, made it four wins out of four since turning professional.

Fighting at the Manchester Indoor Arena, on the undercard of the David Haye v Audley Harrison bout, his vicious left hook body shot sent Burnley-based O’Brien crashing to the canvas.

Heffron’s trainer, Joe Gallagher, said: “Mark’s display raised a lot of eyebrows around the arena, and rightly so.

“I have said before that he can do for Oldham what Ricky Hatton did for Manchester.

“I never use the word ‘special’, but it can certainly describe this kid.

“Mark idolises Miguel Cotto, and I think that shone through in this victory, the body shots were similar in style.”


THOMAS Stubbs avenged his Commonwealth Games defeat to Wales’ Andrew Selby by beating him in stunning fashion at the new GB Amateur Boxing Championships, at the Liverpool Indoor Arena.
Going into the last round 8-4 down, the 20-year-old Northside star launched a blistering comeback and clinched the flyweight bout 10-9.

The competition pits the best amateurs from England, Scotland and Wales against Great Britain’s first choice podium squad boxers, one of whom is Stubbs.

His step-dad Wayne Morris said: “It was an amazing final round, because Thomas had so much to do to bring it back.”