Learning curve rises quickly for Campbell after latest ring test

Hull's Luke Campbell (right) on his way to defeating Chesterfield's Lee Connelly

The 26-year-old Olympic bantamweight champion had barely fought for five minutes in the paid ranks after winning both his opening bouts inside the first round.

But at the top of the bill at Hull Ice Arena on Saturday night, Campbell was taken five rounds by durable Derbyshire opponent Lee Connolly.

Campbell began more patiently this time before stepping up his work-rate with a sensible economy of shots.

Blood began to appear on the face of Connolly by the fourth round and Campbell stepped on the gas in the fifth.

A shot to the body sent Connolly backwards and Campbell pounced, unloading a flurry of blows to the head to force the referee to stop the contest.

“That’s exactly what I needed,” said Campbell. “All credit to Lee, what a tough guy he is, he’s a little warrior and I just couldn’t break him.

“He’d have gone to the end, I’m sure he would.

“It was a great fight as I needed some rounds. But it’s only my third fight and I’m learning all the time.

“I think the referee definitely made the right decision because he was taking a fair few shots.”

Osmondthorpe featherweight Josh Warrington stepped into the television limelight to claim the vacant Commonwealth title, after an epic 12th round stoppage win against Hull’s Samir Mouneimne.

The fight was dubbed a 50/50 fight by lots of the boxing fraternity, as both fighters went into the showdown with unbeaten records. Hull favourite Mouneimne will have been extremely confident beforehand because he appeared to have a slight size advantage over Warrington, and he started the fight well, much to the delight of the home crowd.

Warrington settled down a bit in the second round after some stern words from his father and trainer Sean O’Hagan at the end of the opening session.

“I got a bit giddy and caught up in the moment and I wanted to go in there and take his head off, so my dad told me to slow down and take my time, and go back to the game plan,” said Warrington.

“I managed to rock him in one of the later rounds with a massive right hook halfway through the fight and I thought I’d have got him out of there, but it just didn’t happen.”

n Sheffield heavyweight Richard Towers lost his Commonwealth title eliminator to Australia’s Lucas Browne, losing in the fifth round.