12 December 2020

Northern Ireland’s Cathy McAleer stunned in shock points defeat to Gabriella Mezei

Northern Irish boxer Cathy McAleer was left stunned last night after her unbeaten record came to an end at the hands of Gabriella Mezei in Sheffield.

The Romanian-born fighter was awarded the win 39-37 by referee Jamie Kirkpatrick as McAleer suffered a major setback in her pursuit of a boxing world title.

Mezei was delighted to pull off a shock upset in Sheffield

(PA)

The 42-year-old pre-fight favourite was shaken in the first two minutes by a right hook from Mezei, but recovered in the next round to level things up heading into the second half of the four-round contest.

But Mezei then stepped on the gas once more to clearly take rounds three and four as a cut on McAleer’s forehead opened up in what was a damaging defeat for the Belfast-born fighter.

The loss, which came on Dennis Hobson’s ‘drive-in fight night’ show, means McAleer moves to 4-1 as a pro.

In the main event, British flyweight Tommy Frank also lost his unbeaten record to Mexican Rosendo Hugo Guarnero, retiring after the eighth round having battled on for a number of rounds with a shoulder injury.

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