JOE HOWARTH was being talked about as one of British boxing’s best prospects but has to get going again after a surprise loss to unbeaten Scot Josh Sandford in March 2023.

 

He made an impressive start to his professional career in October 2021 becoming only the second man to stop Naeem Ali who was having his 81st fight.

 

The ringside doctor called off the fight at the end of round one because of Ali’s badly damaged left eye, but he had been under pressure.

 

Another man who is rarely stopped, Jamie Quinn was on the receiving end a few weeks later.

 

The hapless journeyman was dropped three times and rescued in the second round.

 

He made it a quick-fire hat-trick on the Manchester Jolly Boys show in December stopping fully blown Welterweight Jake Osgood in two rounds, dropping the Carlisle man three times. Howarth had a great learning fight in April 2022 when he was taken the six-round distance by Spain-based Nicaraguan Josue Bendana who took plenty of punishment and gave the Wigan man plenty to think about.

 

He made it five out of five a month later when he scored a shutout points win against well-schooled Russian survivor Rustem Fatkhullin.

 

Howarth returned to knockout-winning ways in September, dropping Engel Gomez twice before stopping his rival in round five.

 

There are few tougher road men than Spain-based Brayan Mairena who famously knocked out Frank Arnold.

 

The Nicaraguan had little success against Howarth when they met in November 2022, but showed how durable he was with Howarth thrashing him on points over six rounds.

 

It was disappointment in Wigan for the hometown hero when he performed below par and lost a close decision to Sandford over six rounds.

 

Howarth returned after in November 2023 following an eight-month break and pounded tough Honduran, Jayro Fernando Duran winning all six rounds on the ref’s card. Lee Blundell trained Howarth and signed professional terms with VIP in July 2020, but the pandemic meant a lengthy wait for his debut.