Masoud beats McGrail to win European title

Shabaz Masoud beat Peter McGrail by unanimous decision to claim the vacant European super-bantamweight title in Monaco.

Liverpool’s McGrail started the stronger before Stoke fighter Masoud grew into the fight.

McGrail ensured the closing rounds were tight but the judges scored it 116-111 115-112 114-113 in favour of Masoud.

It was Masoud’s first fight in 13 months, after injury meant a planned June meeting with McGrail was postponed, and now he has his eyes on a world title shot.

“I’ve got big plans,” he said. “I’m struggling making super-bantamweight and I don’t mind moving up for a world title.

“There’s a British world champion at the weight above, Nick Ball. That’s the fight I want. I need to move up.”

Earlier, in another all-British bout, British welterweight champion Conah Walker beat 2020 Olympic silver medallist Pat McCormack with a 12th-round knockout.

The Monte Carlo crowd also saw Turkey’s Elif Nur Turhan become the new IBF lightweight champion.

The 30-year-old demolished Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira, finally stopping her in the fifth round – the two-time Olympic medallist’s first professional defeat.