Belfast’s Colm Murphy tasted defeat for the first time as Jono Carroll claimed victory by split decision in Dublin.
After a competitive 12 rounds, Carroll got the nod on two cards – 117-111 and 116-112 – with Murphy earning a 116-112 verdict on the third as the Dubliner claimed the vacant IBO super-featherweight title.
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Murphy, who won Commonwealth featherweight honours in January, was making the step-up in weight and levels against a former world title challenger, but the Belfast man was philosophical afterwards.
“I just climbed a mountain tonight as I was backstage [before the fight] thinking I was going to get knocked out, but I showed everyone what I am about,” he told BBC Sport NI.
“I maybe should have taken it out of the judges hands but fair play to Jono as he’s had a great career and I really look up to him.
“Before the fight I saw people saying about me: ‘who’s Where’s Wally?’ and ‘who is Harry Potter?’ but I feed off that and want to prove people wrong. I am a nice guy and won’t let all of that change me.”
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It was a cagey start with both trying to find range in a clash of styles with orthodox Murphy popping out a jab and southpaw Carroll targeting downstairs, but the Dubliner began to time the lead right as Murphy advanced.
However, Murphy began to get the better of it as he was timing Carroll who began to look a little ruffled as he was unable to take charge and by the midway point, it appeared the Belfast man was in the ascendancy.
Perhaps knowing it was slipping away, Carroll did start to exert more pressure from the eighth but Murphy was giving as good as he got for the most part with the fight fully into life by the 10th.
They continued to battle it out in the 11th with a head clash opening a cut over Carroll’s left eye and going into the final round, there was a sense it was all to play for as they toughed it out until the final bell.
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Both appeared confident of victory at the final bell but it was Carroll who was celebrating with Murphy’s team looking less than impressed – the Dubliner now with 26 wins, three defats and one draw, while Murphy’s record now stands at 16-1.
Southampton’s Ryan Garner staked his claim for a crack at the winner of the main event with a third-round stoppage of Cristian Bielma to improve to 19-0.
Cork’s Stephen Cairns claimed the vacant WBA Continental lightweight title with an impressive ninth round stoppage of Arnie Dawson.
Dawson was down three times in the round with referee Giuseppe Quartarone calling a halt as Cairns improved to 14-0.
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