Gary Woolcombe claimed the vacant British light-middleweight belt after forcing Marcus Portman to retire due to a cut above his right eye in Wigan on Saturday night.

The pair were contesting a belt vacated by Jamie Moore and after an even start Woolcombe started to dominate before Portman's corner pulled him out before the start of the ninth round.

The pair clashed heads in the first round, causing some early bloodshed, and despite a strong showing in the fourth Portman was bleeding heavily by the sixth round.

He carried on gamely but Woolcombe pressed home his advantage, showing greater stamina as his opponent tired noticeably.

The end came after a particularly one-sided showing in the eighth and handed Woolcombe the belt in his 26th professional outing.

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