By Elliot Foster
Jimmy Kelly got his career back up and running after winning the first meaningful fight since his world title defeat.
The super-welterweight, who is undefeated since losing to now-former WBO titlist Liam Smith in December 2015, will be looking to get back in contention following his latest win.
Wythenshawe’s Kelly, now 21-1 with eight early, was in against Bolton’s Ricky Godding over 10 rounds.
It was an evenly-matched contest, with both fighters standing at different points within the fight and trading shots.
And the local showdown, which was put on as part of the inaugural BT Sport and BoxNation card at the Manchester Arena which will be topped by the WBO lightweight title showdown between champion Terry Flanagan and number two-rated Petr Petrov, was seen as just that by referee Marcus McDonnell who scored it to Kelly by a solitary point, handing in a tally of 96 points to 95.
Earlier in the card, Mark Heffron moved to 15-0 with a comprehensive dispatch of foreign opposition.
‘Kid Dynamite’ got rid of Achilles Szabo, of Hungary, after just one minute and 55 seconds of the second round and will now be looking to push on towards title contention after linking up with promoter Frank Warren and manager Kevin Maree.
He was joined by a man in the shape of Zelfa Barrett, with whom he shared a bill earlier this year.
Barrett, who is cornered by his uncle Pat and who is nicknamed ‘The Brown Flash’, was in with Sunderland’s game Ross Jameson.
The fight, for its duration, was vastly one-sided, with Barrett dominating his foe throughout before the referee Steve Gray called a halt to the action with just 29 seconds remaining of the six-round contest to move to 16-0 with 10 early.
And in the first fight of the night, Liverpool’s James Metcalf knocked down Jason Ball en-route to securing a fifth-round retirement.
‘Kid Shamrock’, who was watched at ringside by his father Shea Neary, boxed well and advances to 15-0 with seven early after the early ending to the scheduled eight-round clash.
Ball, who recently returned after a 15-month hiatus, slips to 9-24-1 with five early.
