Double delight for Doyle in Manchester
Ryan Doyle avenged the only defeat of his career whilst also claiming the first title of his career last night in Manchester.
The Manchester-Dub took on high-level journeyman Ian Bailey for the English featherweight title and claimed a wide points win in a tough fight at the Victoria Warehouse.
Bailey had knocked out Doyle in the final round of their 2014 bout, but there was to be no repeat this time round.
Ruthless Ryan began fast and scored a flash knockdown in the opening stanza with a left hook but Bailey, who had a full eight weeks to prepare for this fight, showed his trademark skills of recovery to fight back well.
The clash was something of a war throughout, with the physically stronger Doyle getting the better of most, but certainly not all, exchanges.
Both cut badly in the fifth, 24 year old Doyle reverted more to his boxing skills to bank the rounds to set up a points win.
Bailey desperately attacked in the tenth round to try score a repeat final stanza stoppage but it was to no avail as Doyle saw out the round to take a unanimous decision win (99:90, 97:93, 98-91).
The victory saw the joyous new champion improve his record to 13(7)-1(1)-1, while the game Bailey drops to 13(5)-19(4)-1.
