Dublin - Former world title challenger, Zelfa Barrett (30-2, 16 KO’s), is waiting for another crack at the big time and stayed busy against the confident Romanian, Costin Ion (10-5-2, 5 KO’s) at super featherweight.

Barrett is a fast, explosive fighter and relaxed straight into his rhythm, showing plenty of lateral movement and spearing the advancing Ion with his jab to head and body. Ion bravely pushed forward but was unable to land anything clean on the Manchester fighter. 

Ion continued to press forward, in the second he got home with a right hand that had Barrett pawing at his eye but otherwise he was unable to cut the ring off well enough to cause Barrett any real trouble and ‘The Brown Flash’ continued to move and jab and occasionally paused to fire off his favourite hooks and uppercuts.

Barrett began to run through his repertoire in the fourth. Ion had come to Dublin to win but had also become a little predictable and his aggression was beginning to create openings for Barrett to capitalize on. Ion would land a single hook or a single jab but Barrett was holding his feet and sinking in combinations.

Barrett was producing some flashy work but couldn’t put a significant dent in Ion who always tried to answer back whenever he took a clean shot. It was a good, useful workout for Barrett who had to stay switched on and sharp as Ion bulled forward, seemingly impervious to Barrett’s power. 

Finally Barrett made something of a breakthrough at the end of the seventh, Ion pressed forward and Barrett timed him with a crisp, short left hook. Instantly realizing he had Ion hurt, Barrett went on the attack and Ion finished the round with a cut over his left eye.

A confident Barrett got up on his toes and went hunting for a finish in the eighth but Ion is a decent operator and managed to keep his hands nice and tight and absorb the shots. 

After eight decent rounds, referee Padraig O’Reachtagain scored the fight 78-75.