A BRADFORD boxer has beaten a journeyman who previously had bouts against Dereck Chisora and Dillian Whyte.

Jermaine Springer, secured his fifth professional victory, against Lithuanian Remigijus Ziausys, with a unanimous decision after four rounds of fighting.

The Bradford-born light-heavyweight was due to face a different opponent, but they had to pull out.

Springer said: "It was one I was really happy to come through.

"There was a change of opponent late on. I was disappointed at first, because I thought it was going to be negative fight.

"I didn't want people to come watch me in a negative fight."

Ziausys is somewhat of a journeyman, having taken part in his first professional bout in 2006.

The eastern European counts the likes of Whyte and Chisora among those he's faced, across 130 fights.

Despite such vast experience, Springer described the Lithuanian as being a negative fighter.

The Bradford boxer admits he was downhearted on hearing of his new opponent, but some choice words from his coach made Springer realise it was up to him to turn it on.

He added "That's what he ended up doing, but I took the fight and made it exciting.

"Everybody I spoke to after the fight was positive.

"The most important thing was to win and entertain."

This victory at the Bradford Hotel continues Springer's impressive 2019, which has seen him beat Elvis Dube on points and then knock out unbeaten Polish boxer Piotr Gora in April.

Springer said: "I'm trying to improve.

"Before that last fight, I was 30th in the division.

"Hopefully in the rankings I'll be moving up, even if it's just a couple of rankings.

"I had a few problems and a few personal issues, but I ended up at Osta's Boxing at the Ultraflex Gym in Hull.

"Since I've been training, I feel like I've been improving."

Bradford is certainly building itself a reputation for being a hotbed of brilliant boxing talent.

Featherweight Amin Jahanzeb maintained his own unbeaten record, securing victory against Jake Pollard, earlier this month.

This was the Bradford-born boxers first fight under the banner of MTK Global - which counts Tyson Fury among its ranks.

You can read more about that here...

That bout mirrored the Springer-Ziausys fight, in that Jahanzeb described Pollard as "negative" and that he "didn't get out of first gear" for the win.

Jahanzeb was proud of helping put Bradford on the boxing map and it's something Springer echoes.

He said: "I really do enjoy boxing for Bradford.

"Bradford has been crying out for somebody to do well.

"It's good to have a little bit of a boxing scene now in Bradford."

Springer's next event sees him take part in a four man prize-fighter tournament, come September.

The light-heavyweight will come up against three other undefeated boxers in his category, with the winners of each semi-final battling it out in a final on a separate day.