Jazza Dickens Retains With Split Nod Over Martin Ward

Liverpool's Jazza Dickens retained his British super-bantamweight title with a split decision points win over Martin Ward.

With County Durham southpaw Ward having home advantage in Houghton-le-Spring, Dickens was up against it but cut his opponent early on as he made the first defence of his title.

Ward - a former world-title challenger at bantamweight - showed great heart throughout and stretched the champion, with both believing they had done enough at the final bell.

But while Dave Parris gave it 116-112 to Ward, Howard Foster (115-114) and Phil Edwarsds (116-113) went weith 24-year-old Dickens who improves to 20-1 (6KOs).

On the undercard, Sunderland cruiserweight Warren Baister made it two wins out of two in the paid ranks with a comfortable 40-36 points win over Lithuanian Remigijus Ziausys.