Heffron deflated after convincing points win

Photo: Darren Robinson

ON THE FRONT FOOT . . . Mark Heffron (left) pins Istvan Zeller against the ropes

OLDHAM super-middleweight star Mark Heffron felt a little deflated despite roaring to the most convincing of points victories on his home-town show.

Ricky Hatton-trained Heffron (25), secured a 40-34 success against Hungarian Istvan Zeller - but the run-up to the bout wasn't ideal.

Zeller had been a last-minute replacement for tough Polish fighter Tomasz Gargula, so the International Challenge title belt was no longer on the line. The contest was also cut from eight rounds to just four.

Heffron, whose energetic showing once again impressed as he took his perfect professional record to 17 wins from 17 in front of a packed Oldham Leisure Centre crowd, said: "I got a good four rounds in I suppose, but Zeller was an awkward opponent.

"I didn't have an opponent until Friday night, so I didn't know anything about him.

"Ricky told to me to just relax and get in a few rounds.

"Obviously, if it had been over eight rounds I would have stopped him, but maybe I was looking for the stoppage a bit too much.

"It should have been over eight rounds - to be honest four rounds are useless to me really.

"I need a rest now. I feel a bit flat. I'm going to have a couple of weeks off and then I'll be back in the gym."

Heffron will undoubtedly soon shrug off any frustrations as he looks ahead to a mouth-watering WBO European title tilt against Russian champion Apti Ustarkhanov.

That fight will take place on the undercard of Josh Warrington's next WBC International featherweight title defence at the First Direct Arena in Leeds on October 21.

Fellow Hatton charge Jake Haigh secured a stoppage victory, while Liam Taylor knocked out Asvvdas Trizno inside two rounds.

There were also points successes for Qasim Niaz, Shakeeb Ali and Jack Flatley.

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