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Kieran upsets the applecart

6/ 3/2008

BOARSHAW ABC light-flyweight Kieran Farrell came home with the first facial scars of his amateur boxing career when he was picked to represent the North of England in a select team trip to Guernsey.

But it was nothing to do with his opponent’s punches — just that someone turned the heat up a little too high in the sauna and blistered his face!

In the ring, the outstanding 17-year-old, who has the appropriate address of Wham Street, Heywood, once again upset the apple cart by beating the boxer introduced as The Pride of Guernsey, the unbeaten Bradley Watson.

The event, at St Peter Port’s giant Beau Sejour leisure centre, had more than 1,000 Channel Islanders cheering on the local hero.

But Kieran was unfazed and had Watson taking an eight count, in only the first round, after catching him with a right to the jaw.

In the second, Kieran came out like a dynamo and caught Watson with such fierce left and right hooks that he ended up curled in a corner of the ring, unable to continue.

Kieran said: "It was one of the island’s biggest sporting events and the atmosphere was unbelievable.

"Everybody was cheering for my opponent, but I just concentrated and got the better of him."

Last October Kieran caused a sensation when he travelled to Poland with the England team and beat one of Poland’s national amateur champions.