Josh Padley defended his European super featherweight title for the first time at the Utilita Arena on Sheffield, as he squeezed past Aqib Fiaz via split decision on Saturday.
Padley (19-1, 6 KOs) scored second-round stoppage of Jaouad Belmehdi to win the vacant European strap in January. Fiaz (14-2, 2 KOs) retired after eight in a bid for the Commonwealth crown against Reece Bellotti in 2023, and had only been out twice since, the most recent a points win over Alex Murphy in July last year.
Fiaz pushed the Yorkshireman back to the ropes in the second, and went to the body as he unsettled his opponent.
The pair opened up in the third, and Fiaz landed well again to the body in round four, visibly hurting Padley as he bravely saw out the round.
The body work was evident again in the fifth, but the champion fired back, and pushed Fiaz back in round seven to gain a foothold.
The pace was getting to the challenger as Padley began to turn the screw, but the ninth saw ‘Ambush’ put Padley under heavy pressure, with the 30-year-old again grimly surviving the session.
Padley, who lost in a world title bid against Shakur Stevenson, rallied and a left hand shook Fiaz to his core in 10th, and he was landing constantly as the fight reached its conclusion.
Fiaz was docked a point for headbutting, and the pair went hell for leather as the fight reached its climax.
Scores of 115-113 and 114-113 saw Padley keep his belt, against a third score of 114-113 in favour of Fiaz.
Sulaimaan becomes English champion
On the undercard, Ibraheem Sulaimaan claimed the English super featherweight title, with a landslide points win against Ibrahim Nadim (16-2, 2 KOs).
Sulaimaan (11-0, 5 KOs) pitched a shutout on two cards, and a third judge had him a 98-92 winner.
Remaining Undercard
Middleweight prospect Aaron Bowen (8-1, 6 KOs) proved too much for Troy Coleman (15-5-1, 7 KOs), as he scored a ninth and penultimate round stoppage win in their clash.
Leo Atang (7-0, 6 KOs) needed little time to dispatch Fouad Shaili (5-5-2, 3 KOs), as the heavyweight hope won in just over two minutes 30 of the opening round of the contest.
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At super featherweight, Adam Maca (6-0, 5 KOs) was forced to go the distance for the first time, and he won all six frames against Cesar Ignacio Paredes (18-35-1, 5 KOs), and featherweight novice Edward Hardy (7-0, 3 KOs) halted Jesus Carrasco (2-5-2) in the last round of their bout which featured multiple points deductions for both.
Connor Mitchell (3-0, 2 KOs) needed just over two minutes to see off Rodrigo Matias Areco (5-22-2) at super featherweight, and in the only four-rounder, Chris Mulunda (3-0) won all four rounds at middleweight against Connor Goulding (6-13).
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