Sport

Gutsy Conrad Cummings loses out in WBO European middleweight title challenge

Conrad Cummings against Adam Grabiec at the Ulster Hall, Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill.
Conrad Cummings against Adam Grabiec at the Ulster Hall, Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill. Conrad Cummings against Adam Grabiec at the Ulster Hall, Belfast. Picture by Matt Bohill.

Boxing

Coalisland box/fighter Conrad Cummings lost out in his quest to bring the WBO European middleweight title back to the Tyrone town at the weekend.

Cummings never took a backward step against Essex southpaw Danny Dignum at the York Hall in London.

The 28-year-old forced the fight against his rangy opponent, enjoying some success in the fourth, but couldn't find the target with sufficient force often enough as Dignum used the ring well and boxed on the counter.

This was 'Dynamite' Cummings's fourth time fighting for the WBO European belt; he had won it twice.

But Dignum, 27-year-old, standing 6ft 1ins, managed to avoid the Tyrone lad's big guns before going on the offensive in round five, stepping in with a series of body shots, straight rights and left hooks.

A jaw-crunching left hook landed flush on Cummings inside the first minute and although he bravely stayed on his feet, he was visibly hurt and referee Howard John Foster jumped in swiftly to call a halt.

Afterwards Dignum said: "Conrad was a true gentleman leading up to this fight, and he is a good fighter. I hope he is okay,'' reported Belfast Live.

"I was in there with a hard opponent, so I upped my training by about 50 per cent for this fight. I did my diet and training properly, and everything else.

"The hard work paid off."