WATCH: Small hall thriller between Martin Hillman and Tom McGinley for the featherweight Challenge belt
Thrilling headlining fight between featherweights Martin Hillman and Tom McGinley is a big hit with fight fans
Two-time Southern Area contender and International Challenge belt winner Martin Hillman (10-5) took on Chelmsford’s Tom McGinley (5-1) for the British Challenge featherweight belt.
Watch both fighters put it all on the line in an eight-round brilliant battle:
Sidcup’s Hillman, 27, entered the bout as the favourite having had triple the experience in the paid ranks and previously bagging the International Challenge belt at featherweight in 2016.
He was twice unsuccessful when challenging for the Southern Area title at super-featherweight in 2016 against Matchroom prospect Boy Jones Jr and at featherweight in 2017 against two-weight Area titlist Jamie Speight.
In the away corner, Chelmsford’s McGinley, trained by Russ Smith at the Champions Gym, lost in his debut fight back in June 2016 after receiving several cuts to both eyes, but has since reeled off four straight wins, culminating in a first-round knockout of debutant Kieran Holman last October, also at Mote Park.
The scorecards were read aloud as 77-75 to the winner and new British Challenge belt featherweight champion, Tom McGinley.
He said, “Fitness and heart won me that title. I took the fight as the underdog, my trainer Russ Smith had the tactics spot on. He kept me in that fight by dealing with my cuts brilliantly!”
The 30-year-old from Champions Gym had only taken part in four-rounders before this fight and looked like he could have carried on for many more rounds if he wanted to. This win now puts him in the mix for the Southern Area title, which Hillman’s previous conqueror, Jamie Speight, still holds.