Lancashire’s Jack Rafferty (24-0, 15 KOs) claimed the British junior welterweight title with a tremendous come-from-behind victory over talented southpaw Henry Turner after eight rounds.
Turner boxed his way into a commanding lead, but when the grueling nature of a 12-round fight started to take effect, Rafferty took control.
Rafferty, though pushing forward, was outboxed in the opener as the slick and stylish Turner – trained by Alan Smith – bided his time from distance.
Turner, who controlled the second, continued to pick off his onrushing foe in the third as Rafferty dutifully plundered straight ahead. But Rafferty, the Commonwealth junior welterweight boss at the opening bell, showed few signs of displeasure in Round 4, and took the initiative and forced the action, his right hand in particular being accurate on occasion.
Turner, however, looked the smarter. Deft movements and counters were bewitching Rafferty, his glossy record in danger of being exposed.
That pattern continued as Turner, showing off his obvious education, pinged punches in close and kept his opponent guessing. A lead right uppercut in Round 7 from Turner, delivered with pace and gusto, was a terrific shot worthy of watching again and again.
Still Rafferty pressed the action, and though still being outsmarted, he had his first period of sustained success. Into the ninth and Rafftery, energized, blasted a visibly exhausted Turner, who could not escape from the ropes. A violent volley of blows, to head and body, sent Turner – 13-1 (5 KOs) – reeling before Rafferty plunged a punch into his rival’s stomach. Turner went down, shocked and hurt and all but beaten.
He was pulled out by his corner at the end of the stanza.
“I’ve worked 18 years for this, dreamed of it,” Rafferty said. “I thought it was man versus boy tonight, but it was man versus man. When he gets older, he’ll be some fighter.
What’s next? “I’m going to go and see my girlfriend,” Rafferty said. “I’ve not seen her since March.
“I’ve not even gone to see my mum’s grave, I’ll be dressing her up tomorrow in the gold stuff.”
Between rounds, Smith pulled his fighter out. Turner, only 24, will feel regret, but he can unquestionably come back. Rafferty, meanwhile, showed his mettle – and then some.
Liverpool’s Jack Turner (9-0, 8 KOs) notched his seventh first-round finish when he walloped the resistance from the vastly overmatched Gonzalo Corinaldesi (5-7-1, 1 KO), of Argentina.
The 22-year-old bantamweight Turner, in a nod to boxing’s savage nature, celebrated wildly as his opponent struggled to regain consciousness on the canvas. A booming right hand, executed perfectly, turned out the lights, and it was all over at 2:47 of the first round. Turner, to his team’s credit, then paused his celebrations until Corinaldesi came back to life.
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