Blackwell To Help O'Sullivan Prepare For Eubank Jr.

Nick Blackwell retained his British middleweight title with a unanimous points win over spirited challenger Jack Arnfield in Bristol on Saturday night.

Blackpool's Arnfield took the fight at just eight days' notice after Watford's Elliott Matthews was forced to pull out after suffering a cut in training and certainly made the most of his unexpected opportunity.

He made a solid start, using his extra height and reach to work behind a solid jab and rocked Blackwell with several accurate right uppercuts.

But Blackwell - making the second defence of his crown - had the greater power and dropped his opponent with a vicious left hook to the body in the fifth.

However, Arnfield refused to budge and even a nasty cut above his left eye failed to subdue him as he deservedly went 12 rounds for the first time in his career.

Blackwell  (19-3-1 8KOs) was a convincing 117-111, 117-110 and 115-112 winner on the cards but acknowledged he had been in a tough fight.

"I knew it wasn't going to be an easy fight - but I didn't think it would be that hard," he told Channel 5.

"I hit him with some good shots, but he's a tough kid and he took them. I'm still learning and it's going to take time.

"I'm going to spar Spike O'Sullivan next week ahead of his fight with Chris Eubank Jr and then I'll  be back in the gym to learn a few more things."