MEN’S BOXING: Moses Itauma knocked Jermaine Franklin down twice before stopping him in the fifth round of Saturday night’s non-title heavyweight contest in Manchester.

Franklin failed to go the distance for the first time in his 27-fight career while Itauma extended his unbeaten record to 14 bouts, 12 by knockout.

On the undercard, Gerome Warburton beat Nathan Heaney on points to win the all-British scrap for the WBA Continental middleweight title.

NETBALL: Loughborough Lightning retained their unbeaten record and top the Super League by two points after easing to an 83-69 win over bottom of the table Birmingham Panthers on Saturday evening. 

Second-placed Manchester Thunder thumped Nottingham Forest 78-53, defending champions London Pulse are a point further back in third after winning 61-52 in Leeds and London Mavericks edged to a 58-54 victory over the Dragons in Cardiff.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Charley Kendall scored twice as Southend won 3-1 at Southport to set up an FA Trophy final against Wealdstone at Wembley in May. 

Micah Obiero’s stoppage time strike sealed Wealdstone’s 1-0 win over Marine. 

In the FA Vase Gravesend’s Punjab United drew 1-1 at Cockfosters in the first first leg of their semi-final while AFC Stoneham earned a 3-0 success at Hallen. Both second legs take place next Saturday.

WOMEN’S RUGBY UNION: The Wolfhounds won their third consecutive Celtic Challenge title after producing a dominant second half performance to see off the Clovers 50-29 in Edinburgh on Saturday. 

The Wolfhounds scored nine tries in a repeat of last year’s all-Irish final after falling behind to Aoife Corey’s fourth-minute try for the Clovers. 

The Celtic Challenge is a league and play-off tournament that features two teams from Ireland, Wales and Scotland.