KELLY Morgan took a giant leap towards becoming a world champion in 2016 after she beat Szilvia Szabados last night.

The Swindon-based 2002 Commonwealth Games javelin bronze medallist outpointed the Hungarian, who is ranked two in the world by the Women’s International Boxing Association, at the Grange Drive Leisure Centre.

The 35-year-old former England netball international in her third professional contest took the decision 59-55.

“A lot of peoples’ eyes were opened last night by Kelly,” Morgan’s trainer Richard Farnan told the Advertiser.

“We managed to finally get some footage of Szabados on Thursday and we worked out a gameplan and Kel just couldn’t miss her.

“She out-boxed, out-punched and out-manoeuvred Szilvia – I’m so happy for her.”

Luke Watkins maintained his unbeaten record at the top of the bill on the Keith Mayo and Paddy Fitzpatrick show.

The 26-year-old cruiserweight, who went into the contest having won his previous five outings, dealt with his late change of opponent comfortably as he dispatched Sandor Balogh after 60 seconds of the second round.

The Fitzpatrick-trained Watkins, who was originally meant to be facing Lithuanian Igoris Borucha, has now stopped four of his six opponents.

Watkins’ stable-mate Sam Smith made a successful debut as he defeated the durable light-heavyweight Mark Till 39-37 over four three-minute rounds.

However, there was a second career defeat for the Fitzpatrick-trained Garvey Kelly.

The welterweight, who suffered his first loss in February against the dangerous Faheem Khan, was out-pointed by Lee Connolly, who secured his first win after 10 straight defeats, 40-37.

Ben Heap fell to a points defeat on his debut as the Farnan-trained Chippenham-based former kickboxing champion was beaten 39-37 by Wolverhampton-based Latvian Viktors Drizlionoks.

Swindon’s unbeaten welterweight Ryan Martin had to watch from ringside after he was left with no opponent following a late withdrawal, while Gloucester’s Akeem Ennis-Brown bagged his third win in the pro game with a routine four-round shut-out victory over journeyman Fonz Alexander.