A SOUTHAMPTON STAR IS BORN

THE PIRANHA IS now within snapping distance of ruling the waves at super featherweight after Ryan Garner became WBC Interim world champion in front of his adoring Southampton public.

St Mary’s Stadium, home of Southampton FC, became Garner’s personal hunting ground, with many thousands of local people turning out to support his quest. The centre circle of the pitch at St Mary’s will have never seen so much action as Garner and his opponent Michael Magnesi served up, right from first bell to last.

People looked on in awe at the pace and ferocity that this main event played out, with most probably doubting it was physically possible to maintain for 12 rounds. Neither man dropped down a gear at any point in the fight.

The home favourite did dominate and banked nearly all of the rounds, on the cards of two of the judges. Domination, however, did not equal one-sided because this was a close and enthralling fight that deserved a home in a stadium setting.

It was a night under the Southampton stars that Garner had dreamed about since turning professional with Frank Warren and Queensberry when he became 18 and all the locations he has trained at since that time, alongside his mentor Wayne Batten, have been within a goal kick distance of the stadium.

It was just meant to be.

Garner, his young family, Batten and Frank Warren can now look to the future and see what that holds. For Garner himself, his immediate future involves rest and lots of it after putting in so much on the night of his life.

Congratulations to the new WBC Interim world champion.

Elsewhere on the card, another local lad in Lewis Edmondson took home the vacant WBA International light heavyweight title after a close run encounter with Lyndon Arthur. Also at light heavyweight, Taylor Bevan prevailed over 10 rounds against Ryszard Lewicki, with one judge scoring the fight 95-95.

At heavyweight, new Irish star Adam Olaniyan made it two wins out of two with a second round stoppage of Viktar Chvarkou, with two knockdowns providing a big statement considering the Belarusian’s reputation for not hitting the canvas.

Brad Pauls was parted from his IBF International title at middleweight after he was outfoxed over 10 round by Bradley Goldsmith by a wide margin.