Hughie Fury vs Chris Norrad ends in a hometown victory via stoppage

Hughie Fury returned to winning ways at Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse tonight, after a seven-month hiatus following his clear points defeat to Kubrat Pulev in an IBF final eliminator in Bulgaria. In his hometown and broadcast live on terrestrial Channel 5, the 24-year-old former British heavyweight champion and WBO title challenger outclassed previously undefeated Canadian lumberjack Chris Norrad, finishing a one-sided job at 1-51 of the second round. It was set for 12. The finishing right over the top may have landed behind the head but this fight was only going one way. Norrad rose at the count of nine but the referee had understandably seen enough.

In good shape, Fury, 22-2 (12), appeared a level above his flabby opponent and was in charge throughout, landing sharp jabs, right hands and body shots from a hands-low stance. Norrad, 17-1 (8) showed guts early on but proved disappointingly unambitious for an unbeaten fighter.

**WHAT IS HUGHIE FURY’S FUTURE?**

In other results, Alex Dilmaghani returned to the UK after five-and-half years spent competing in Canada and Mexico, plus sparring Juan Manuel Marquez, and got an eighth-round stoppage of the Czech Republic’s Martin Parlagi. A left arm injury ostensibly ended matters in a scheduled 10 but the Crayford super-featherweight was well in control, producing a strong pace and targeting the body. Dilmaghani, 19-1 (8) 1NC, does not look a big puncher but was busy and intelligent.

Peter Fury, trainer of his son Hughie of course, got another big win on the show as Hartlepool’s female super-middleweight Savannah Marshall, an amateur World champion and the only lady to defeat undisputed middleweight queen Claressa Shields, finished usually durable Bulgarian Borislava Goranova in just 71 seconds. Marshall showed poise before a devastating right uppercut to the body caused her foe to writh in pain clutching the left side of her midsection. The follow-up left downstairs scarcely mattered but Marshall moves to an imposing 6-0 (4).