Brilliant Bird is the new Celtic Champion

Bideford boxer Aaron Bird is the new Celtic Light Heavyweight Champion after a thrilling 10-round contest at The Normandy Hotel in Glasgow, beating previously unbeaten champion Scottish champion Bobby Morrell.

It was a back-and-forth contest with Morrell being the aggressor and Bird picking his punches on the back foot. Morrell knocked Bird down for the first time in his career with a body shot in round 6. Bird came back strong in round 7 though, landed clean right hands to cut Bobby Morrell just under the eye. Bird continued his onslaught with a big effort to finish the fight, winning rounds 8,9 and 10 to take the points decision. 

Bird said of the contest: “I’m so happy, this is the best day of my life. I knew I could do this, thanks to everyone that has helped me, believed in me and gave me a chance. It was a very tough fight.

“I take my hat off to Bobby Morrell, he is a great champion and pushed me to my limits, but I found another gear, I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip away from me. I have worked my whole life for this, I’m now a champion, it’s all I have ever dreamed of.”

Bird’s manager and trainer Richard Grigg said: “It’s unheard of to go to Scotland against their Champion, an undefeated fighter, and come back with the belt.

“We went over there as underdogs, I knew everything was up against us, judges, referees, home crowd etc but Aaron Bird is a special talent and he has got the job done. I’m so proud of him, he only turned pro 18 moths ago and already has his first professional title, he has made history being the first person to win a Celtic Title in only five fights. We will now sit down and look at options for the future, but I believe this is just the start for him.”