Bobby Vanzie claimed his second major title in Liverpool last night - but only after a titanic struggle.

The Bradford lightweight remained on course for a European title shot by adding the Commonwealth crown to his British title by stopping the powerful Kenyan Athanus Nzau in the tenth round.

"The Viper" made the running for most of the contest, Vanzie had the African on the canvas three times, yet Nzau had both the strength and courage to prolong the struggle until the sheer weight of punches forced the referee to stop the fight.

Vanzie began like a train, winning the first three rounds in his trademark flamboyant style, and managing a knockdown in the third.

But Nzau, who up to that point had showed little adventure or initiative, suddenly burst to life in the fourth, and subjected Vanzie to a severe examination, which continued into the fifth. Vanzie took some body punches, which took their toll, and it was only in the sixth that the Bradford man regained the initiative, which from that point he never lost.

Even so Nzau, who proved durable on the night, never gave up, despite a flurry of punches and it was not until the eighth round that Vanzie's superiority began to shine through with another knockdown.

Sheer accumulation of punches produced the same result in the ninth and despite the African's remarkable bravery in the face of an onslaught, the fight was halted in the tenth.

"Bobby showed he was back to his true form tonight," was the immediate verdict of Vanzie's trainer Godfrey Brown.

"He was hitting a little too high in the opening rounds and was in a bit of trouble in the fourth and fifth, but apart from that, he did very well against a tough opponent.

"Nzau was a bit of a plodder to be honest, and didn't show much, but Bobby was in good form and made it an exciting fight. After the fifth it was all one way traffic."

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