Kid Galahad and Terri Harper have options to activate rematches following world title defeats in Sheffield

IBF featherweight champion Galahad was stunned by veteran Kiko Martinez as he was brutally knocked out at the beginning of the sixth round after being put down in the fifth.

Harper suffered a fourth-round knockout at the hands of Alycia Baumgardner as the American claimed the WBC and IBO super featherweight titles.

Galahad’s defeat spelt the end of his short reign as IBF champion after he claimed the title in August.

Harper had held her IBO title since July 2019 and won the WBC crown in February of 2020.

Matchroom managing director Eddie Hearn confirmed that both fighters can exercise rematch options.

He hopes to see Galahad, who also goes by the name Barry Awad, face Martinez again.

The Sheffield-based fighter had dominated the opening four rounds before being caught with big shots from Martinez in the fifth and sixth.

“It will be good to give Barry another chance, he was dominating the fight,” said Hearn.

“We will speak to Kiko and to Kid Galahad.”

He continued: “In 35 years of watching boxing, I have never seen anything like that.

“He [Martinez] wasn’t in the fight, he got battered from the opening bell.

“His legs buckled inside the first minute and I thought to myself it could be over in the first or second round.

“Fair play to Kiko, he didn’t give up. I have never seen anything like that.

“I wanted to choose Kiko Martinez because I knew he would never give up.

“Deep down, I really didn’t see him winning the fight and after rounds one to four, I certainly didn’t see him winning the fight.

“That is what was so unbelievable about the knockout, there were no signs.

“As I said to Kiko in the ring, if anyone was going to beat Barry, I am glad it was him.”

Harper’s fight was waved off after she was caught with a ferocious shot that left her standing dazed in the middle of the ring, as the referee jumped in to wave the fight off before any more damage could be inflicted. 

“Not only did the referee do great, he stopped her copping a left hook,” said Hearn.

“She was absolutely gone on her feet, there was no way she could have continued.

“She would have gotten hurt. It was outstanding work from the referee.”

Hearn hopes to see Harper, who was returning to the ring after 12 months because of a hand injury, take on Baumgardner again.

However, Harper’s trainer and manager Stefy Bull will be involved with that decision as well.

“My preference would be for her to get another shot, but that is down to Stefy. The option is there if they want it,” added Hearn.

“My priority is making sure Terri is alright and deciding what she wants to do with Stefy.”

Meanwhile, Jack Bateson says he has fulfilled his childhood ambition after winning his first title as a professional boxer.

The Leeds boxer won a wide unanimous points decision over Essex’s Ramez Mahmood to lift the English super-bantamweight title – his maiden belt in the paid ranks.

The 27-year-old started boxing at the age of just 11 under the tutelage of his father Mark, with his trainer and promoter dad remaining in his corner for the victory over Mahmood.

“It’s special,” said Bateson. “Everything I’ve worked for for all my life, it’s led to this.

“Me and my dad, we’ve worked together since I was a kid and we’ve dreamt of nights like this.

“To win my first title as a pro, fighting on my dad’s own card with [management company] MTK Global behind me, it’s special. I’m buzzing.”

Bateson enjoyed a strong start at the Elland Road Pavilion on Friday night displaying the sharp boxing skills that won him numerous medals as an amateur with Team GB.

“I felt comfortable,” he said of the first half of the fight.

“I picked up the first few rounds and I feel like I pretty much won every round. There were times when it was tight but I never got caught with anything clean.”

In the third round though, Bateson was cut around the right eye and three rounds later his vision was further impaired with an even more gruesome gash near the left eye.

The cuts, combined with the illness Bateson had suffered heading into the fight, meant he had to produce a more dogged performance as the fight went into the latter half.

“I made it ugly at times, but I had to,” he explained.

“I wasn’t 100 per cent in there and I had to pick the shots and then tie him up.

“I think me at 100 per cent would have probably cruised through it.

“I’m not saying that I didn’t win comfortably because I did. But I didn’t cruise through it and I made it hard work for myself at times.

“If I can do 10 rounds ill, it just shows how fit I am.”

Even though Bateson had a point deducted for punching after the call of break in the penultimate round, the Leeds fighter had done more than enough to take a convincing win on the cards.

One judge had him as a 99-90 winner, with two others scoring 97-92 in his favour.