Slick Heffron’s Dublin delight

FIVE WINS ON THE SPIN. . Mark Heffron.

BOXING:

MARK Heffron maintained his 100-per-cent pro record by stopping Spanish opponent David Pulido at City West Convention Centre, Dublin.

Welterweight Heffron, the ex-Northside ABC and Boarshaw member who trains at Gallagher’s Gym in Denton, produced a devastating display on the undercard of the Willie Casey v Guillermo Rigondeaux showdown.

After a flurry of stinging body blows he floored Pulido with a head shot in the second round, before finishing him with a left hook just over a minute into the third.

Trainer Joe Gallagher said: “Mark did a great job and impressed an awful lot of people in Dublin. His was the name on everyone’s lips at the end of the night.

“He didn’t give Pulido a chance from the very first bell. Some of the body shots he produced were vicious and you could see early on that there was only going to be one outcome.

“Mark has been sparring with Tameside’s Denton Vassell, who is a Commonwealth champion, and I think that paid off.”

It was the 19-year-old’s fifth successive victory since waving goodbye to a glittering amateur career.

Heffron, younger brother of Frank Warren prospect Ronnie, rose to prominence when he won the National Boys Club Championships, the Great Britain Championships, a multi-nations tournament in Ireland and helped England to glory in the Home Internationals.

Now a professional with a growing reputation, Gallagher says 2011 will bring a title fight.


TOMMY Stubbs won bronze for Great Britain at the Chemistry Cup in Germany — but it could have been an even better outcome for the Northside star.

Stubbs (20) defeated hometown competitor Hamza Touba 3-0 to reach the semi-finals of the 52kg category, where he came unstuck against China’s Li Chao.

After a close couple of rounds, the Oldham lad found himself leading 4-3 with just seconds remaining when he was caught by a left hook, which levelled the scores.

The judges handed a countback decision victory to Chao, who went on to claim a gold medal.