JOHNNY GARTON is the British welterweight champion after stopping Gary Corcoran in the eleventh round of an enthralling contest at the Brentwood Centre on Saturday night.
The ‘Pexican’ landed a barrage of blows in the penultimate round before the referee stepped in after a vicious left sent his opponent into the ropes.
Corcoran – who went eleven rounds with Manny Pacquiao conqueror Jeff Horn – was the heavy favourite, but was eventually worn down and then finished off by Peckham’s 31-year-old Garton.
“I can’t explain how it feels, it’s unbelievable,” Garton said. “Living in south London, it’s a personal thing to me.
“And now we’ve got this belt at Millwall as well.”
Corcoran had been confident he would defeat Garton, who he claimed wasn’t on his level.
Garton added: “All respect to Gary, but it was the head that did the damage, it wasn’t his punching or anything like that. He didn’t trouble me at all.
“Whenever I’ve stepped up I believe they’ve underestimated me. It’s happened before, they underestimate me and I get in there and stop them.”
Image: Ashleigh Shea