Team Shoe-Box fighter Eithan James demonstrated his class at the Mercure Hotel in Northampton on Friday, securing a decisive points victory over Hamza Azeem to claim the Commonwealth International Super Welterweight title.

Cheered on by a raucous hometown crowd, 25-year-old James dictated the pace by controlling the centre of the ring and claim a 17th win from 19 professional fights.

James' opponent, a 26-year-old southpaw from Birmingham, struggled to find his range early in what was his first title challenge.

placeholder image — Eithan James | MSN Images

Azeem did enjoy a brief resurgence in the third round, finding success with a pair of left hands that forced James to retreat.

However, these moments proved fleeting.

James quickly regained control, utilising a consistent jab and effective work in close quarters throughout several clincher-heavy middle rounds.

Although Azeem connected with a short right hand later in the contest, it was insufficient to shift the momentum.

Heading into the final round knowing he required a stoppage to win, Azeem was unable to alter the outcome; instead, James finished the stronger fighter, with referee Kevin Parker scoring the contest 98-92 in his favor.

On the same card, another Northampton fighter Nico Michael (9-1) secured a valuable win in a rematch against Stephen Jackson, serving as the show’s chief support.

The 31-year-old super flyweight, who narrowly missed out on the Midlands Area title against Sean Bruce in December, showed no ill effects and his supporters were out in numbers once again.

He delivered a composed four-round performance, bolstered by a point deduction against the experienced Jackson for holding in the final round, taking a 40-35 points win.

Michael Stephenson (10-3) marked his return to the ring after an 18-month layoff with a dominant 40-36 points victory over Leon Mitchell.

Last seen challenging for the English Light Heavyweight title against Troy Jones, the 33-year-old from Northampton appeared eager to make up for lost time.

While Birmingham’s Mitchell was game to trade in the opening exchanges, Stephenson’s superior accuracy and high work rate allowed him to dictate the tempo and control the contest comfortably.

Former Team GB amateur Ramtin Musah (2-0) reaffirmed his status as a serious prospect in his first outing in over a year, forcing a stoppage against debutant Kyle Richards after two rounds.

Following a competitive opening session, Musah—trained by John Ryder—began to assert his dominance in the second. A crushing body shot looked to cause some distress, leading his trainer, Gavin Burrows, to wisely retire his charge on the stool before the start of the third round.

Yousuf Ibrahim (9-1) continued his resurgence, recording his second win in just over a month with a shutout victory over Jake Pollard.

The 25-year-old from Northampton displayed impressive sharpness and composure, methodically breaking down the veteran Bradford man, who was making his 116th professional appearance.

Ibrahim was never troubled throughout the four rounds, sweeping every frame on Chris Deane’s scorecard 40-36.

Pictures by Manjit Narotra