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Page last updated at 14:15 GMT, Sunday, 29 March 2009 15:15 UK

Quigley battles to title victory

Tony Quigley
Quigley replaced former champion Brian Magee for the fight

Tony Quigley stopped fellow Liverpudlian Tony Dodson in the 12th round to lift the vacant British super-middleweight title.

Quigley, 24, claimed the title with his 13th win in 14 career bouts.

The encounter was finally decided with two minutes of the fight remaining when Quigley threw a right-hander which sent Dodson to the canvas.

Dodson recovered to his feet but was only delaying the inevitable as Quigley waded in to finish the job.

Quigley had his opponent on the floor in the second round but 28-year-old Dodson, blood streaming from a deep cut above his left eye, battled back to edge the following rounds.

The deep cut above Dodson's eye remained a worry and the tide turned decisively in the penultimate round when Quigley landed a resounding right that left Dodson shaken.

A delighted Quigley, who replaced former champion Brian Magee in this bout after the Ulsterman was forced to give up the belt due to a back injury, told BBC Radio Merseyside: "I didn't enjoy it at the time, but looking back that was some hard fight.

"He hit me with some good shots there, it's lucky I've got a half-decent jaw isn't it?"

After early scares in rounds one and two, Dodson gained his composure, controlling the fight's middle rounds and looked to be heading for a win on points.

Aware of this, Quigley said he knew it would take a special effort in the fight's final round to ensure victory.

"In the 12th round, when I saw him going, I just kept throwing.

"My head wasn't there I just kept throwing, I was thinking if this goes the distance I don't know where it's going. I had to throw all caution to the wind and just go for it," added Quigley.

After the fight, a devastated Dodson, who was sporting stitches above both eyes, revealed that he will now consider his future in the sport.

"Look at my face, I have cuts left, right and centre - it's not good for my health," said Dodson.

"If I can't win a British title against a kid who has had 12 fights I'm not going to go much further am I?

"I've given fans great nights in Liverpool but at the minute I feel like I'm ready to hang my gloves up," added the 28-year-old former British champion.

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