Boxing: Brodie ready to cash in at featherweight

Michael Brodie’s decision to move up to featherweight looks like paying rich dividends after he made it three wins out of three in his new division in spectacular style at the Wythenshawe Forum last night.

The 25-year-old former British, Commonwealth and European super bantamweight champion was on the end of a shocking decision when taking on Willie Jorrin for the WBC title at 8st 10lbs in September 2000.

But after destroying dangerous American Sean Fletcher inside two rounds, Brodie is once again dreaming of world title glory.

‘‘That win proved once more that I’m a world-class fighter,’’ said the Mancunian. ‘‘Anyone I hit with those kind of shots will go.

‘‘The story now is I want a world title. There’s Manuel Medina, there’s Marco Antonio Barrera and there’s Eric Morales, they are all good fighters - but I’m up with the lot of them.’’

Meanwhile, Brodie’s manager Jack Trickett, ever the one to eye fortune rather than fame, has set his sights on a lucrative domestic showdown with Glasgow’s British and Commonwealth champion Scott Harrison.

‘‘Michael has proved he is world-class and we would go for the top fights if the money was right,’’ said Trickett.

‘‘But there’s also Scott Harrison. They would not have to try hard to make that fight sell.

‘‘All they have got to do is come up with a decent purse and the fight will be on and they can have a hefty side bet on the outcome as well if they wanted.’’

Wayne Rigby is also dreaming of some big-money pay-days after claiming the lightly-regarded WBF light welterweight title with a thrilling points win over Antonio Ramirez of the Dominican Republic.

The 28-year-old had twice come up short in gruelling encounters with Michael Ayers for the IBO lightweight belt.

But the move up a division did the trick and this time fortune favoured the brave as he prevailed by scores of 116-113 and 117-113 twice.

‘‘I’ve got a new contract now so hopefully I can stay busy and have a few quick fights,’’ said Rigby.

‘‘Then I’d love to take on Ricky Hatton. Me and Ricky are good friends outside of the ring but when the bell goes it’s business and if the money’s there that would be a good fight.’’

Time finally caught up with Carl Thompson, however, as the 37-year-old surrendered his IBO cruiserweight title to hard-hitting American Ezra Sellers.

Both fighters hit the floor in each of the opening two rounds before Sellers had the champion down again in the third and then finished the job off with a peach of a counterattacking right hook in the fourth.

With the glory days of his WBO title victory over Ralf Rocchigiani in Hanover and two high profile defences against Chris Eubank long gone, it is hoped that Thompson has the sense to hang up his gloves.