Hough consider future after defeat

Walsall's Matty Hough admitted he is considering retiring from boxing after losing to Birmingham's Max Maxwell in their Midland middleweight title contest last night.

The 31-year-old was stopped after one minute, 46 seconds of the third round of their scheduled 10-rounder at a packed Wolverhampton Civic Hall for the vacant belt.

Maxwell will defend against Hough's First Team stablemate Sam Horton (Stourbridge), who goaded him with shouts of "I'm gonna take you!" afterwards.

Hough was put down three times before the referee ended it following a left jab and a right hook.

Earlier, a straight left saw Hough hit the canvas in the first and a huge right cross sent him tumbling in the second.

"I've been boxing since I was nine and it's burning me out, so I'm thinking about retiring," said Hough.

"I'm going to live in Majorca. But I'll be gutted all my life having got this far and not been switched on."

Hough had to sweat off a pound and a half the day before after weighing in too heavy.

"Maybe that affected me," he said. "I wasn't switched on. I felt weird. I've boxed bigger, stronger and I've been hit harder in the gym."

Maxwell said: "He came out swinging, but as he did, I connected with the right and I realised he couldn't take it."

As for Horton's challenge, Maxwell said: "It's signed, we'll get it on. It wasn't his night so he can shut his mouth.

"I'm pretty confident I'll beat him. The boys in their gym haven't got the versatility we've got."

Maxwell's trainer former world WBC super-middleweight champion Richie Woodhall was delighted to have trained his first champion.

He said: "I keep telling the lads, the harder they train, the easier they fight and this lad has really earned it."

Wolverhampton's Lyndsey Scragg stopped Yarko Annan (Ghana) in the sixth and Birmingham heavyweight Neil Perkins had a winning debut against Lee Mountford (Leeds) 40-36 over four-twos.

Hagley light welter Scott Evans won every round against Kristian Laight (Nuneaton) over six-twos.

Also at light-welter, Stafford's Rob Hunt had a 40-33 four-threes win over Senol Dervis (Salford), who took a standing count in the last and Wolverhampton's Rob Kenney outpointed Lance Verallo (Bristol) 40-37 over four-twos.

Brierley Hill's Martin Gordon had a cut nose and head losing 37-40 to Matt Seawright (Tamworth).