At the First Direct Arena, in Leeds, the popular home-town fighter Josh Warrington moved a step close to a world title fight.
In front of a partisan and very vociferous home crowd, Warrington took on Patrick Hyland in a defence of his WBC international featherweight title.
Hyland, having had a world title bout against Gary Russell Jnr, a fight in which he was stopped inside two rounds, was to provide Warrington with a stiff test.
Drama at the weigh-in saw Hyland fail to meet the weight, being over the limit by more than two pounds, however the fight went ahead as Warrington sought to move towards a showdown against Lee Selby.
As it turned out I was a comfortable nights? work for Warrington who was never in trouble.
The Leeds fighter used his superior boxing ability to out-work and out-punch Hyland and it came as no surprise when the home-town fighter forced a ninth round stoppage.
The stoppage takes Warrington?s professional record to 24-0 and moves him a step closer to a world title shot.
Things are definitely looking bright for the 25-year-old from Leeds.
Warrington Stops Hyland in Nine Rounds
