Mark HEFFRON (GB) is the new WBC International Middleweight champion
June 9th 2018 at the Manchester Arena (UK)
by Frank Warren, Queensberry Promotions
WBC International vacant Middleweight Gold Championship
Mark Heffron vs Andrew Robinson
Oldham middleweight Mark Heffron (now 20-0, 16) stopped Andrew ‘D’animal’ Robinson in six rounds to win the vacant WBC International 160 lbs title.
The bout represented a significant step up for Heffron who took the opener before landing a hard right on the bell which knocked Robinson’s mouthpiece out
Both men were warned for low blows throughout what was a gruelling and well contested match.
Heffron spent most of the fourth round as a southpaw, looking effective in the new stance as he landed a succession of hard lefts while Robinson’s left eye began to swell badly.
By the middle rounds it was becoming a punishing contest and both men exchanged heavy hooks (Robinson this time switching to southpaw in the sixth).
‘Kid Dynamite’ Heffron finished the show with a two-handed combination which had Robinson reeling, until referee Ian John-Lewis stopped the fight two minutes and two seconds into the round. Robinson displayed a lot of heart, but he struggled from round four onwards due to large swelling under his left eye which apparently caused severe damage.
It now looks to be a great future for Heffron in this weight class, indeed.
The title was vacant after David Lemieux scored a twelve round unanimous decision over at that time defending WBC International Middle-weight champion Karim Achour last May 26th at the Centre Videotron in Quebec City (Canada). Lemieux could not win the title having failed to make the WBC weight limit the day before and the title was therefore declared vacant in agreement with the WBC rules.
Former WBC International champions in this divison
Karim Achour, France
Craig Cunningham, Great Britain
Tom Doran, Wales
Jorge Sebastián Heiland, Argentina
Nick Brinson, USA
Joachim Alcine, Haiti-Canada
David Lemieux, Canada
Dmitry Pirog, Russia
Domenico Spada, Italy
Mahir Oral, Germany Turkey
James Obedi Toney, Ghana
Glenn Catley, Great Britain
Robert Allen, USA
Silvio Branco, Italy
Cristian Sanavia, Italy
Juan Carlos Gimenez, Paraguay
Morrade Hakkar, France
Erlande Betare, France
Chris Pyatt, Great Britain
Miguel Angél Arroyo, Argentina
Andras Galfi, Hungary
Alì Ennebati, France
Aslanbeck Kodzoev, Russia
Jorge Amparo, Dominican Republic
Chris Eubank Sr. Great Britain
Hugo A. Corti, Argentina
Kid Milo, Great Britain
Rubén Dario Cabral, Argentina
Antonio Perugino, Italy
William Gare, South Africa
Jerry Elliott, Nigeria
Sergey Tatevosyan, Russia