Boxing: Michael Ayers retains British lightweight title

Michael Ayers retained his British lightweight title after a tough battle with Colin Dunne at the Grand Hall, Wembley, last night. Ayers finally halted Dunne after two minutes 43 seconds of the ninth round, but for six rounds the defending champion was given one of the toughest fights of his life.

Johnny Nelson and Ryan Rhodes, two Sheffield boxers, will both challenge for British titles on the same bill at the city's Ponds Forge Leisure Centre on 14 December. Nelson will fight the Hackney veteran Dennis Andries for the vacant cruiserweight title while Rhodes, 20 yesterday, becomes the youngest challenger in history for a domestic belt when he meets Paul "Silky'' Jones, another Sheffield fighter, for the light-middleweight title.

PROFESSIONAL PROMOTION (Grand Hall, Wembley): 12-rd lightweight (for British title): M Ayers (Tooting) bt C Dunne (Holloway) rsf 9th. 6-rd light welterweight: D James (Newmarket) bt C Konsaneonis (Potters Bar) pts. 6-rd heavyweight: M Sprott (Reading) bt G Hunter (Manchester) rsf 1st. 6-rd welterweight: K McCarthy (Letchley) bt D Davey (Bradford) pts. 10-rd lightweight: B Schwer (Luton) bt J-M Moulun (Fr) ret 7th.