Steven Ward Stops Tommy McCarthy in Battle of Friends
It was a case of who needs enemies when you have friends like Steven Ward for Tommy McCarthy in Belfast tonight.
Ward won the battle of friends to order another drink in the last chance saloon.
‘The Quietman’ made some serious noise on the Point of Pride bill to ensure he lives to fight another day. He managed to get the better of Tommy McCarthy, stopping the ‘Mac Attack’ in the fifth round of an all-Belfast affair.
The battle between former Commonwealth Games teammates was billed as a win, where the winner stays on and the loser exits stage left.
Ward certainly keeps his British title hopes alive courtesy of a career-best display, and it may be just the last week we see of McCarthy, who has served Irish boxing so well as both an amateur and pro.
Ironically, for boxers who first sparred 20 years ago, the first round was a get-to-know-you affair with both feeling their way into the fight.
Ward started to find a home for his jab and landed two right hands of note in the second. Still, it appeared to be another routine stanza until a massive left hook landed at the bell to drop the Mac Attack.
McCarthy was on steady legs going into the third, recovering well over the minute break, and while it was a round won by ‘The Quietman’, the former European Champion had success in the final few seconds.
Ward was the one looking to force the pace over the next three minutes but the Oliver Plunkets man, who had fellow Commonwealth medal winner Paddy Gallagher in his corner, was countering well and looked more confident.
Ward landed a meaningful right in the first minute of the fourth and had took his friend-turned-foe’s ability to counter away by producing combination bursts.
Still, McCarthy did show flashes of his natural talent to put himself in contention for the round.
The last Irish fighter to hold the European title’s hopes of winning the fight were gone in the next as Ward secured the stoppage win.
The Commonwealth medal winner jabbed down to the body and looped a right hand over the top, which ultimately did for his fellow Belfast man.
To his credit, McCarthy, who won silver alongside Ward in 2010, did rise to his feet but the barrage that followed promoted the referee to jump in and call a halt to proceedings.
