Brad Pauls makes history by becoming Cornwall’s first British Champion since 1939

Cornwall has a new sporting hero after boxer Brad Pauls became the first British middleweight champion from the duchy since 1939. The 31-year-old shouted: “ Kernow bys vyken ! Cornwall forever!” following his triumph over Nathan Heaney last night – and vowed to bring his belt back to his native Newquay.

The fighter, nicknamed the ‘Newquay Bomb’, defeated ‘Hitman’ Heaney with a 12th round stoppage in Birmingham. It was Pauls 21st fight and came after he drew a previous bout against Heaney in his hometown of Stoke in March.

But this time, at the World Resorts Arena in Birmingham, Pauls dominated many of the rounds and then delivered the knockout blow in the 12th. After the fight he took to social media to say: ‘He’s history man, the first Cornishman since 1939, this little belt goes to Newquay, a little surfer town, it’s crazy. But I fought, 21 years, everything I have in that fight, and here it is. I’m the new British middleweight champion.”

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The slugfest was covered by TNT Sports and after the match, Pauls said that he has now won the Zone, English and British titles and will fight whoever is next. He said: “It’s a busy division and I’ll happily fight anyone.

“I’ve been boxing for 21 years since I was 10 and that’s all I’ve ever wanted. Dreams do come true, no matter where you start.

“This is something I’ve thought about every day, but now that it’s here, it’s surreal. I can’t wait to bring this belt back to Cornwall and show people anything can happen – it doesn’t matter where you start, it’s where you finish. All you have, every time. Kernow bys vyken ! Cornwall forever!”

It was a hard-fought contest for both fighters that went right to the end before Pauls, who is now based in Essex, landed a flurry of punches in the final round to knock Heaney down – and the Stoke fighter failed to beat the referee’s 10. .

Pauls, who started the night as the bookies’ underdog, was emotional after the fight was stopped and the belt was handed to him. He said: “Best night of my career, I have the belt of my dreams.

“The Southern Area Trifecta, English and now British Middleweight Champion. It sounds crazy to say this, but it was a great night and I just want to say thank you to everyone who came out to support you – you made yourselves heard and really motivated me.

“Massive respect for Nathan Heaney because it takes two to tango and he’s a hell of a fighter and a hell of a man. Respect to him for getting revenge. If he wants to have a trial, absolutely, it’s the right thing to do.”

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