HAVING successfully defended the British super-bantamweight title on Friday night, Hartlepool boxing sensation Michael Hunter's stable are now setting their sights on attracting continental stars to the North-East.

When Hunter stopped old foe Marc Callaghan in round ten at the Borough Hall, he completed a remarkable evening in front of his hometown supporters after Kevin Bennett had came of age by preserving his grip on the Commonwealth lightweight championship.

Sky Television's decision not to cover the show proved misguided.

More than 1,000 people were gripped by an action-packed and adrenalin-fuelled show, with the Hunter-Callagham bout being tipped as a contender for Boxing News' Fight of the Year.

The pay packet may not have been as lucrative for the boxers in Sky's absence but both Neil Fannan-coached fighters, along with Darlington pair Argie Ward and Francis Jones, who were on the undercard, have enhanced their reputations again.

For Hunter, the stakes are as high as they have ever been. After 21 professional fights he has yet to taste defeat and the focus now is on the Commonwealth and European belts held by Esham Pickering.

"Pickering now has to defend his Commonwealth title before March 31," said Fannan, who knows Barry Hearn's Matchmaker company were represented at the Borough Hall on Friday.

"I want Michael to be British, Commonwealth and European champion. It doesn't matter whether the cameras and the pay days come. For him to perform in front of his own crowd again against an African or a European would be just amazing."

Hunter and Callaghan's rivalry stems from their first encounter two years ago when a draw was called after six rounds.

This grudge match lived up to its billing and Hunter's incessant jabs and hooks took their toll. Yet the man from Essex kept coming back for more.

Callaghan's corner called for their man to deliver the 'championship punch' on a number of occasions. It never came and Hunter's pressure just got too much for the visting camp after two minutes 31 seconds of round ten, when the towel was thrown in and referee Ian John-Lewis called a halt to proceedings.

An ecstatic Hunter, who became British champion in March when he overcame Coventry's Mark Payne, said: "Revenge is sweet. But he put up a spirited fight. He came up to me at the end and said 'that's it, we should settle our differences now'. I was more than happy to make peace with him.

"He was a great opponent to fight. He battled until the end. It makes it even more special to keep hold of this belt again. To wear it is just unreal."

Earlier Bennett, managed by Michael Marsden, set the tone for a Hartlepool title double when he outpointed a determined Dean Phillips in an England-Wales encounter.

But despite Bennett's nerves ahead of the occasion, the Welshman's spirited display proved not enough against the Birmingham-born boxer who took his own performance to a new level by picking his shots.

Bennett said: "I couldn't sleep the night before the fight. I was more nervous than I have been for any other fight in my career.

"I couldn't even eat properly during the build-up. That's how bad I was. But I was force fed some salmon or something from the coach and it worked. I fed the nerves and I was well up for it when I got into that ring.

"I'll certainly be eating now, but it may not be the pizza and cider I used to have to celebrate."

Coach Fannan felt every emotion possible through the night. He said: "I have had Michael seven years now and Kevin for a similar period. The pair of them are like my best mates."

"When the pair of them succeed it makes me feel really proud. I get as nervous as them but I don't show it. I really do feel everything they do."

Darlington's Argie Ward was first out of the blocks when he defeated Huddersfield's Syrian-born Abdul Mougharbel on points.

In a close super-bantamweight clash, Ward preserved his unbeaten run by earning his tenth success in 11 fights by being awarded a favourable 39-38 result by referee Andrew Wright.

The enigmatic Francis Jones, also from Darlington, earned a sensational second round stoppage over Sunderland's Paul Lomax, to strengthen claims of a title fight.

After a scintillating start to the light-middleweight bout by Jones, who had his opponent on the floor in round one, he followed up with a stunning right then left hook to knock Lomax face down on the canvas. Referee Mark Curry stepped in.