On This Day: June 30th

2009: Just under a year after his Olympic bronze medal, the dearly departed Darren Sutherland had his final fight. The St Saviour’s super middleweight stopped Gennadiy Rasalev in the fourth at the York Hall.

RIP Darren

1911: Dublin heavyweight Matthew Curran defended his Commonwealth title for the first time against South African Fred Storbeck in Plymouth. ‘One Punch Nutty’ retained the belt via a double disqualification due to continued wrestling. Curren would defend the belt the next month before losing in a rematch to Storbeck the following year.

1956: Roy Baird would defend his Northern Irish welterweight title for the first time against Gerry Smythe at the Kings Hall. Baird scored a ninth round stoppage of his Belfast rival.