Glory for Northampton boxer Eithan James as he claims European title

The Team Shoe-Box fighter impressed in Telford on Saturday as he claimed a points win over James Moorcroft to win the vacant WBO European welterweight title.

It is a first professional belt for the 22-year-old whose nickname is 'Jammy', and takes his professional career record to 12 wins out of 12.

The former Kings Heath amateur has been desperate for a title shot for the past couple of years, and he got his chance at the Telford International Centre on Saturday.

James took that chance it in style, claiming a unanimous points decision from judges Giustino Di Giovanni (98-92), Marco Moscadelli (98-92) and Terry O'Connor (97-94).

Prior to the fight he had promised he would produce the best performance of his career to date, and he did just that to outclass Moorcroft.

"I have worked my backside off for this, and it has been a year coming," James told TNT Sports.

"I have had two pull-outs, I have to have a warm-up, but I put on my best performance as I said I would.

"I obviously punch hard enough to mark people up, and I have got the skills to do it over 10 rounds. I am fit as I can be, and I can take anyone."

The fight was a real test for James, with the experienced Moorcroft having gone into the fight with an strong professional record, having won 19 and lost just two of his 21 bouts.

But he took it all in his stride, and added: "He put me under pressure in all the rounds, but I am used to that.

"I have my footwork, and my footwork gets me out of trouble, and I mixed it up when I needed to, and I still won some of those rounds.

"There were a couple of times when I mixed it up and I didn't need to, and I still dominated, so to everything out there who thinks I don't have to trade, and I can trade if I want to and it is just going to take it out of them."

So what next for James?

"I want to fight for more belts, better ranked opponents, this is what I want," he said.

"I have been screaming for step-ups all this time and in my last three fights I have had those step-ups and I have proved that even in bad situations I can still overcome things.

"You are just going to keep seeing better performances from me at this weight.

"I am making the weight easy and I am feeling fit and strong for all 10 rounds."

Queensberry Promotions boss Frank Warren was certainly impressed, and he tweeted: "Dominant performance there from Eithan, some good future fights defending his new belt possible now."

James wasn't the only Northampton fighter on the bill at Telford, as there was also an impressive win for Ben Fail.

The Far Cotton man was too good and too strong for journeyman Serge Ambomo as he easily stopped him to claim the third TKO win of his career, and take his professional record for four wins out of four.

Ambomo has now lost to both of the Fail twins, having lost on points to Carl back in February.