British featherweight Josh Warrington has eased to a points victory over Joel Brunker at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.
After winning the British, Commonwealth and European titles over the past 18 months, Warrington had been expected to face the biggest test of his career against Brunker, but the Yorkshireman delivered an almost punch-perfect performance in front of his home fans.
During the early rounds, Australian Brunker, who had only suffered defeat to Lee Selby in a 29-fight career, targeted the body of Warrington, but the 24-year-old shook it off to build up a lead on the scorecards.
As the bout progressed, Warrington looked more impressive, putting together flurries of combinations that left Brunker taking frequent punishment, and by the final third of the contest, the result was almost inevitable.
Warrington pushed for the stoppage, but even though it never materialised, he could celebrate a shutout win after all three judges scored the fight 120-108 in his favour as he successfully defended his Commonwealth belt.
Darren Plant
