Nick Webb wins Golden Robe at Ultimate Boxxer 6 – The heavyweights
Amir Khan presented the Ultimate Boxxer winner Nick Webb (16-2) with the Golden Robe on Friday, December 14 at the Planet Ice Arena in Altrincham, live on BT Sport.
Chertsey banger, Webb, admitted, prior to the tournament, that he needed to be crowned as winner in order to take his career back to where it should have been. Defeats to Dave Allen and fellow contestant Kamil Sokolowski stalled the bright start to his professional boxing career, which saw him with 10 KOs from 12 victories before being halted in his tracks by the "White Rhino", live on Sky Sports.
In one night, he elevated his record to 16-2 with 12 KOs and took home the lion's share of the £50k prize money.
Here's all the results from Ultimate Boxxer 6 in full:
QF1: Mark Bennett WIN SD vs Jay McFarlane (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
QF2: Josh Sandland WIN UD vs Kamil Sokolowski (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
QF3: Nick Webb WIN SD vs Chris Healey (29-28, 29-28, 28-29)
QF4: Danny Whittaker WIN UD vs Jonathan Palata (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
SF1: Mark Bennett WIN UD vs Josh Sandland (29-26, 29-26, 29-28)
SF2: Nick Webb WIN TKO1 vs Danny Whitaker (02:59)
FINAL: Nick Webb WIN UD vs Mark Bennett (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Webb saw off Yorkshire hardman and former soldier Mark Bennett in a thrilling final bout, with Webb coming out on top on points.
The Chertsey star, who is managed by former British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Champion Scott Welch, overcame local lad Chris Healey in the quarter-finals, before seeing off the impressive Danny Whitaker, who stunned almost everyone when he took out the bookies favourite Jonathan Palata in the quarter finals.
Meanwhile Bennett’s route to the final saw him take part in two brutal fights. The quarter-final victory against Scotsman Jay McFarlane came via points before an exhilarating bout with former Huddersfield Giants rugby league player, Josh Sandland. The semi-final clash between the two Yorkshiremen had the crowd on their edge of their seats with the pair trading huge punches throughout the fight.
Bennett was proud of his performances and admitted that, "Nick Webb just had my number in our fight."
Trained by Johnny Evans out of the Guildford City Boxing Gym, "Wild" Webb was elated and emotional after the tournament win, "I feel great. I feel emotional, I had a hard, hard year and it's been destroying me, but this has made it all worth it.
"I've been hard on my fiance, been hard on my family, you don't understand how hard. I come back from a very hard situation, I was in no man's land.
"I just knew I could do it, I believed in myself when no one else believed in me, everyone ripped me off, but look where I am now, I'm here!
I’m going to enjoy Christmas big time, but watch this space."
Undercard
Albanian Florian Marku (6-0) decisioned Sutton Coldfield's Nathan Bendon (3-2) 60-55 to move up to 6-0. On the undercard ahead of the final, Marku whipped the crowd up into a frenzy with his unanimous victory, which delighted the strong Albanian fanbase in support, which included Arsenal and Switzerland football star Granit Xhaka.
Damian Chambers (10-1) retired Bulgaria Mladen Manev (2-8), who didn't come out of his corner for the third round.
Ryan Oliver (7-1) defeated experienced veteran William Warburton (26-163-10) 60-55 on points. "Warby" closed the year on his 15th fight, just one stoppage defeat when he retired at the end of the sixth round in an eight round welterweight contest with English champion Ekow Essuman in July, and will start 2020 with his 200th professional fight.
Stockport's "Jack the Ripper" Jack Booth (3-0) scored a 40-36 points win over Lithuanian Vaidas Balciauskas (3-18) in a four round light-heavyweight contest.