MALMESBURY’S Joe Hughes was delighted to get his hands on the Southern Area light-welterweight title last weekend.

The 24-year-old was thrust into the spotlight at London’s O2 Arena last weekend and took his chance with both hands as he stopped 2010 Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist Philip Bowes in the tenth round, with the 30-year-old’s corner throwing in the towel.

Hughes, who trains under Andy O’Kane at Paddy John’s Gym in Bristol, said: “I was confident of doing the job and it felt really good.

“I took a few rounds to work him out because I knew he was a tricky, long-range boxer. From the third round, I just didn’t let him work.

“I hit him with a lot of shots and he had a point taken away in the ninth for holding because he was so tired.

“I kept on hitting him with lots of shots and he went down at the start of the tenth and was up quite late in the count – his corner eventually threw the towel in.”

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