TORONTO’S Blake Minto was eyeing a defence then a shot at another belt after claiming his first world title with a split-points decision over Argentinian Sergio Gonzalez on Saturday night at Newcastle Exhibition & Convention Centre.
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Minto, 25, got the nod over the 39-year-old to claim the vacant World Boxing Foundation world super lightweight title.
It was Minto’s first world title fight and 12-round bout.
“It was an amazing feeling,” Minto said on Sunday of getting the decision.
“I’m still on a high and I haven’t really slept all night.
“It was pretty mental, the crowd was going off. It didn’t quite seem real, it still doesn’t. It was just a magic moment.”
He praised the toughness of his opponent, who he knocked down in the ninth round but battled with until the final seconds when a head clash left Minto with a nasty gash.
“We executed the plan the best we could but I found him really awkward,” he said.
“He was just a really awkward southpaw, so I didn’t get off as many punches as I could have landed but one shot we did practice was a straight right shot to the sternum.
“I caught him with that in ninth round and dropped him in that round, but he was just really tough. He just came back, there was a lot of grappling, back and forth. I’ve got a split eye and he’s ruined. It was pretty crazy.”
Trained by Cessnock’s Ben Crampton, Minto was now focused on recovery.
“I’ll defend this one at the end of the year and hopefully go on to another world title after that,” he said.
