MANCHESTER, England – Gerome Warburton picked up an upset win over former British middleweight champion Nathan Heaney.
The bout served as the chief support to Moses Itauma-Jermaine Franklin at Manchester’s Co-op Live. It was given the position on the card due to the sheer volume of tickets Stoke’s Heaney had sold.
In the end Heaney’s famous walk to the ring to Tom Jones’ Delilah was more entertaining than the bout. The contest was competitive, but dull, and unfortunately for Heaney and his travelling fans, Warburton walked out a deserved winner by scores of 98-92 and 97-93, twice.
Heaney, with his daughter by his side, announced following his loss that he would have one final contest in his home city of Stoke before deciding whether or not to hang up the gloves.
Both men were rigid as the contest began, with Heaney pawing his long left jab into the face of Warburton. Warburton, of Colwyn Bay, Wales, seemed a little on edge, perhaps from the 15,000 crowd in attendance. Heaney took control early behind his long levers, but couldn’t keep it up. Warburton grew in confidence as the rounds went by and started to find success off the ropes.
Warburton, 30, was firing his southpaw right hand over Heaney’s lazy jab before pivoting away. Heaney, who had previously claimed a British title, seemed to have no answers for Warburton’s movement. The rounds ticked on and still Heaney did not switch things up. Warburton wasn’t doing anything special, but it was enough to edge proceedings. Warburton, now 17-2-2 (2 KOs), erupted after claiming the biggest win of his career in front of a packed out Co-op Live, on a stage neither deserved.
The popular 36-year-old Heaney, now 19-2-1 (7 KOs), will now ponder his position in the sport.
