Aberdeen boxer Dean Sutherland was thrilled to pass the biggest challenge of his career to date to claim the vacant WBO youth welterweight title.
The 22-year-old southpaw stopped Mexican Jose Antonio Delgado Velazquez in the seventh round at New Douglas Park in Hamilton.
A foot injury sustained in the build-up to the fight had hampered Sutherland’s preparations but he fought through the pain barrier to ensure the chance to claim a world title did not pass him by.
He said: “It couldn’t have gone better.
“It was definitely the toughest fight so far and to win a WBO world title is massive.
“But it was also the toughest from a personal aspect because this was one of the worst training camps I have had.
“I had two ligament Grade 1 tears in my foot four weeks ago.
𝙃𝙪𝙜𝙚 𝙟𝙖𝙗𝙨!
Dean Sutherland ends the fight early with a fantastic flurry, fighting Jose Antonio Velazquez 🛎️#𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 pic.twitter.com/lnS8wAHJuu
— Fightzone (@fightzonetv) July 31, 2021
“I have only been able to do one running session in the last four weeks and was only able to do any movement boxing work 10 days before the fight.
“So to go out there and get the stoppage to win the title means that little bit more.
“But I felt phenomenal.
“I was so relaxed and I feel I could have done that for 17 rounds or 27 rounds.
“I just felt like I could have kept going.
“Most of my nerves before the fight were about whether my foot would hold up.
“I did everything for I could to make it feel comfortable.
“As soon as I was in the ring it felt fine, which was a massive weight off my shoulders and I was just able to have fun.
“To get the stoppage win against an up-and-coming fighter from Mexico was very pleasing.”
Sutherland was cheered on by a vocal travelling support at New Douglas Park – the home of Hamilton Accies FC.
The Aberdeen boxer has said his long-term ambition is to fight at Pittodrie, the home of his beloved Dons, and enjoyed the experience of going head-to-head inside a football ground.
He said: “I had a great travelling support and with Billy Stuart on the same card it meant that his supporters were cheering for me and my supporters were doing the same for him.
“It was amazing to have a crowd there and fight outside for the first time.
“It was a new experience and I’m glad I have ticked off fighting at a football stadium but there is only one ground I want to fight at the next time.”
But while it was a night to remember for Sutherland, Macduff fighter Stuart suffered the first defeat of his career.
The 23-year-old was beaten by Alejandro Jair Gonzalez with the IBF youth super-bantam title at stake by a majority decision.
Sutherland said: “I was gutted for Billy as he was phenomenal in the training camp and was on fight weight for nearly four weeks.
“This is the hardest I have seen him train and he was sparring really well.
“It was a tough night at the office but he will come back from it. He has a massive future in the sport.”
𝙁𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙈𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙘𝙤 𝘾𝙞𝙩𝙮…!
Alejandro Gonzalez has his hand raised after a 10-round battle against Billy Stuart!#𝙅𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 pic.twitter.com/RFgCcP3p6r
— Fightzone (@fightzonetv) July 31, 2021
Sutherland intends to return to training later this month to begin preparing for a return to the ring in his home city before the end of the year.
He said: “I will take two or three weeks off to get my foot properly sorted.
“I think we are looking at a fight in the middle of November, hopefully in Aberdeen.
“Whether that is defending the belt or looking for a new one, I’m looking forward to another big night of boxing in Aberdeen.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
