Brave Sykes suffers title defeat

The British super featherweight champion recovered from a horrendous start which saw him knocked down in the opening stages of the bout at London’s Excel Arena to produce a spirited display and battle through the full 12 rounds.

Sykes had some success in the middle rounds but Walsh’s superior strength and power proved decisive as he added the British title to his Commonwealth strap and the Cromer man can now dream of potential European or World title fights in 2015.

Walsh took the fight by wide margins of 118-109, 119-108, 118-111, on the three judges cards, although many at ringside thought Sykes deserved more credit then those scores would suggest.

Full fight report, reaction from Sykes, trainer Julian McGowan and opponent Liam Walsh in Friday’s Dewsbury Reporter.