Barrett stops Gwynne in fifth to claim WBA Intercontinental lightweight belt

Zelfa Barrett won the vacant WBA Intercontinental lightweight title by stopping Gavin Gwynne in the fifth round at Wembley Arena, BBC Sport reported. The victory on the MF Pro card gave the Manchester fighter a fifth consecutive win and added a belt to his campaign in the 135lb division.

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Barrett overcame a five-inch height disadvantage against Gwynne, with an uppercut sending the Welsh boxer to the canvas. The BBC described Barrett as the quicker fighter. The 33-year-old now has 36 victories and three defeats on his professional record, with 19 of those wins coming by knockout.

Gwynne, 36, entered the contest after defeating the previously unbeaten Khaleel Majid by majority decision in May. The former British, Commonwealth and European lightweight champion could not follow that result with another victory. The Merthyr boxer’s record now stands at 19 wins, five losses and two draws.

The result follows significant changes in Barrett’s working arrangements. In an interview published by The Ring before the bout, he discussed leaving his uncle and trainer Pat Barrett to work with Joe Gallagher at Manchester’s Champs Camp gym. The former European super-featherweight champion had been preparing for his move into the lightweight division while adapting to a different trainer.

The Ring also reported that Barrett had secured a promotional agreement with MF Pro and was being managed by Sam Jones. Barrett told the publication he had been frustrated by a shortage of opportunities, having stayed active on smaller shows and in an eight-round preliminary contest. He saw the Gwynne fight as a chance to return to wider attention and demonstrate his ability on a bigger platform.

Before the contest, Barrett had made clear to The Ring that he wanted a stoppage that would get British boxing audiences talking about him again. His fifth-round finish delivered the stoppage he had sought, against a former European champion. The BBC reported that he would hope the win helps him climb the WBA lightweight rankings; it did not confirm a new ranking or a subsequent title opportunity.