The Leeds hero make successful second defence of his belt in his hometown and had to dig deep in the final two rounds to claw a razor thin decision.
One judge scored it 115-113 to Galahad with the others giving it to the champ, 116-112, 116-113.
It was a fight the Leeds scrapper described as “an obstacle” to potential unification riches in the US.
All the talk days after Warrington’s scintillating victory against Carl Frampton in his first IBF featherweight world title defence in December was how he would make a name for himself over in the States.
But mega fights against the likes of Gary Russell Jr, Oscar Valdez and Leo Santa Cruz we’re put on hold to take on “Barry from Sheffield”.
Warrington and his promoter Frank Warren we’re frustrated when he IBF came calling and demanded mandatory Galahad got his shot.
And while it wasn’t the ticket-seller Warrington expected, it pitted two undefeated boxers together with a fierce dislike for each other.
The first round had those ringside wincing as heads came together on numerous occasions. The partisan home crowd cheered every shot Warrington threw let alone landed.
Galahad was cuter in the second, refusing to waste shots, but both were looking tense. The third was impossible to score other than 10-10 as they spent too much time tied up.
There were calls for the ref to “ sort it out” before the fourth, but the boxers had to get cleaner too. But Warrington’s bloody nose showed the battle was well underway.
Galahad looked hurt by a swift Warrington combo in the fifth, but for all of three seconds as the Sheffield man instantly regained his composure.
Warrington’s fans burst into chorus in the sixth to rally their man. There was the feeling the home fighter wasn’t quite dominating as many expected.
He responded with his most dominant round of the fight so far, this time Galahad frustrated after being warned by the ref for holding.
The seventh and eighth saw Galahad pull away on the scorecards undoubtedly. Warrington cut a frustrated fighter at times, but Galahad knew when to tie him up.
If the ninth was a slight lull the 10th had fans baying for blood. First Galahad rocked Warrington with a stunning short uppercut.
But the champ replied a huge overhand right as he bit down on his gumshield.
Warrington was told to “dig deep” by his dad Sean O’Hagan during the 11th – even they knew it was close to call.
Fans screamed for Warrington to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at Galahad in the 12th. But the pair spent too long with arms tied together.
In the nerviest of waits, the First Direct Arena erupted when the home hero was announced the victor. But it was far from convincing as the bookies thought it would be.
Article courtesy of John Hutchinson & The Sun
Photo courtesy of The Associated Press
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