Welshman falls foul of ref decision

THE MIDLAND BOXING BEAT WITH MIKE LOCKLEY

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Stephen Clarke and Lewis Howells exchange punches at M&S Bank Arena

LEWIS Howells and his corner came away from Saturday's arena appearance in Liverpool feeling a little hard done by.

It's the eighth round stoppage to unbeaten Merseyside prospect Stephen Clarke that rankles, not the defeat.

Manager Jon Pegg admits his fighter, a Welshman now based in Stratford, was well behind when the last round ending came.

But he disputes the stoppage, from a body shot, at one minute 42 seconds of the session. Howells briefly took a knee after the punch, rose without a count and the ref stepped in when Clarke flurried.

That stoppage on Queensberry's M&S Bank Arena bill, topped by Nick Ball's loss to Brandon Figueroa, was super-middleweight Clarke's second in nine outings.