RISING star Rio Gordon is celebrating a milestone success after landing the vacant central area of England welterweight belt at Halstead ABC's show in Earls Colne.
In his way was Hemel Hempstead's Sonny Waghorn, in a contest over three three-minute rounds.
Not a lot separated the two boxers in the opening session, with Harwich Boxing Club's Gordon pressuring Waghorn to the ropes to good effect.
However, the Home Counties boxer did score well from distance.
Gordon upped the pace in the second round, forcing the issue with solid left and right hooks as he closed down his opponent.
The final session saw Gordon pull away and a particularly eye-catching flurry of punches forced referee Simon Mullen to issue a standing eight count in the dying seconds of the contest.
Gordon gained a unanimous points win, with all five judges voting in his favour, to crown the 18-year-old the best welterweight in the combined Midlands, Home Counties and East Anglia regions of England.
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