Maughan's early morning runs pay off

Terry Maughan didn't let a little thing like a last-minute change of opponent and a four-pound weight disadvantage spoil his plans.

The Nottingham light-middleweight was penciled in to box sturdy Londoner Duncan Cottier in his home city, at the Britannia Hotel on Maid Marian Way, on Saturday night (June 18). But instead of the crafty Chingford hardman, he swapped leather with another hard-nosed fighter with no less of a chin - Chris Brophy.

In pro fight 53, Swansea-based Brophy has mixed with the likes of Michael Gomez, current British light-welterweight champion Ashley  Theophane and British middleweight title challenger Nick Blackwell, who boxed for the Lonsdale Belt on the same night in Wigan, and immediately came out firing with left hooks. 

But improving Maughan, who has won his last three and five of his last six, used his feet well to avoid desperation punches from the canny veteran and rattle in solid replies of his own on a four-bout Matt Scriven-promoted bill that saw all the locals on show leave without defeat.

And it was Terry's speed that proved too much of a barrier for an older (32), heavier (11st 6 1/4lbs to 11st 2lbs) fighter who was always a step behind.

Referee Rob Chalmers rightly marked the six-twos 60-55 in favour of the 26-year-old local,  and the Sneinton scrapper's new fitness regime - which included early morning sprints up hills on top of his normal roadwork - reaped immediate rewards.

"I felt good on Saturday," admitted a three-time British kick-boxing champion whose paid tab now reads 5-2 (one of the defeats, on his debut, was to promoter Scriven, incidentally). "I felt strong and fresh at the end, which is testament to how hard I've been training - both in and out of the gym.

"To tell the truth, i hated those hill sprints but they've had an positive effect and i won't be dropping them from my schedule any time soon.

"Brophy knew his way around a ring and Tony [Harris, trainer] told me constantly to watch out for his left. I could see every single one he threw and then, when i switched off briefly in the fourth, he caught me," he laughed. "But it didn't have any effect and i was pleased with a good six rounds under my belt.

"It's onwards and upwards and i know i can get better."