Unheralded middleweight Brad Pauls (19-1-1, 1 KO) upset previously unbeaten WBA #5, WBO #5 Nathan Heaney (18-1-1, 6 KOs) in a UK showdown on Saturday night at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England. Heaney appeared appeared to be in control through 3 but was dropped in round 4 by Pauls. Heaney beat the count and made it through the round. Pauls came on strong in rounds 5 and 6 with heavy shots to the body that seemed to slow Heaney down. Heaney took control in round 7 but Pauls came on strong at the end of the round landed heavy blows to Heaney´s head. Pauls seemed to be physically imposing his will on Heaney in round 8 where Heaney seemed forced to clinch multiple times to stop the Pauls onslaught of punches. Round 9 was a good comeback round for Heaney has he controlled the action for most of round boxing from a distance and landing. The pace slowed in round 10 with both fighters having their moments. Huge round 11 for Pauls who had Heaney badly hurt and staggering prior to bell sounded. Pauls listened to his corner and jumped on Heaney pressed the action. A series of heavy punches landed by Pauls saw Heaney crumble to the canvas. Heaney got up on unsteady legs at about the count of 10 but the referee waved the fight off. Official time 54 seconds. Pauls wins the British and WBA Continental middleweight titles.
In the co-feature Andrew Cain (12-1, 11 KOs) stopped Ashley Lane (18-11-2, 3 KOs) in round 5 to win the British and Commonwealth bantamweight titles. Lane pressed the action from the opening bell but it was Cain’s precise counter punches that hurt Lane. Cain dropped Lane twice in round 5. The corner of Lane threw in the towel after the second knockdown. The official time of the stoppage was TKO at 1:47 of round 5.
Former unified female super lightweight world champion of the world Chanelle Cameron (19–1, 8 KOs) of Northampton, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom won a 10 round majority decisión over the very game Elhem Mekhaled (17-3, 3 KOs) of France. Cameron rocked Mekhaled early but Mekhaled rallied the storm and fought back strong. The official scores were 99-92 and 98-92 for Cameron and 95-95 even. Cameron won the vacant WBC interim world super light title.
In a rematch, unbeaten local heavyweight favorite Solomon Dacres i(9-0, 3 KOs) stopped countryman Michael Webster (10-2, 6 KOs) in round 7. The action picked up in round 5 where Dacres dropped Webster with a combination. Webster didn’t appear to be took shook up and beat the count. Dacres turned it up in round 7 and dropped Webster again but this time Webster was hurt as he beat the count. The referee seeing Webter was in no condition to continue waved the bout off at 1:10 round 7. The pair squared off this past November where Dacres won a by majority decisión.
Heaney so done. Not going to have much success even at the British level.
Their first fight was great, too.