Express & Star

Body blow for Jason Welborn’s latest title challenge

Jason Welborn missed out on the vacant Commonwealth title when he was taken down by the undefeated JJ Metcalf in Leeds.

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The Tividale fighter was unable to continue after a body shot in the eighth round, although Metcalf had been docked a point for a low blow earlier in that round.

However, it was the same way 33-year-old Welborn had lost his world title bout with Jarrett Hurd back in December.

This was his first outing since that fight and back-to-back defeats has left him with a 24-8 record. Metcalf remains unbeaten with a record of 20-0 and is now super-welterweight Commonwealth champion.

The 30-year-old targeted Welborn’s body from the start, sensing a weakness there.

But the boxer raised in Rowley Regis did catch his Liverpool opponent with a right hander early on, landing further telling blows in the second and sixth rounds.

The bout was swaying back and forth and both fighters were warned about straying low with their punches before Metcalf was docked a point for a low blow in the eighth.

The night seemed to be turning Welborn’s way then, but moments later Metcalf landed a left-handed body shot he couldn’t recover from.

Unable to beat the count, he spat out his gumshield.

Welborn’s back-to-back defeats come after two memorable victories over fellow Albion fan Tommy Langford in the ‘Battle of the Baggies’ had earned him a shot at the world title.

Josh Warrington clung on to his IBF featherweight title after a controversial split decision win over Kid Galahad.

The home favourite gained the verdict by 116-112 and 116-113 on two of the judges’ scorecards with Howard Foster favouring the challenger by 115-113.

Galahad had largely frustrated Warrington through much of the contest and had appeared to land the cleaner if less powerful work.

But ultimately Warrington’s sheer will to win somehow saw him through, albeit in a fashion far removed from his previous epic triumphs over Lee Selby and Carl Frampton.