WARRINGTON Sports Personality of the Year Graham Sayer has become a world champion for the first time after overcoming one of the toughest periods of his life.

Sayer, who is a member of Neil Holden's Warrington Kickboxing Studio, had not appeared in the ring since winning the Amateur Kickboxing Association European middleweight title in November.

That title also allowed him to win Warrington's biggest sporting prize in January but he took time away from kickboxing this year - including passing up a chance to fight in America - to care for his terminally ill father, who has since died, and keep the family business afloat.

It had been expected that Sayer would return by defending his European title in Urmston on Saturday but his opponent was one of several fighters from Belarus who were unable to gain access to the country.

As a result he got a surprise chance to fight Turkey's Ibrahim Bulduk for the world title and he emerged as the winner of a dramatic contest.

The Turk had fought twice as many times and had recently won the prestigious Prince's Cup in Thailand but it was Sayer that started the brighter and led by 36 points to 26 at the end of the first round.

But Bulduk hit back to lead at the end of the second round and went for broke in the third round, leading 92-75 at the end of it.

Sayer avoided the 20-point deficit that would have given Bulduk victory though and levelled the scores at 117-117 at the end of the fourth and final round.

That meant a deciding round had to be contested but Bulduk had no energy left and had to withdraw to give Sayer a technical knockout and the world title.

Holden said: "He's had the hardest six months you could ever have and he only had four weeks in the gym beforehand rather than the eight or 12 he would normally have."

Only the achievements of professional Mark Matthews have been greater in the history of Warrington Kickboxing Studio and Sayer is pencilled in to make his first defence of the title in Altrincham on September 23.

Paige Farrington also enjoyed success at the same show as she retained her women's English featherweight title with victory against Darlington's Mandy Stainthorpe.

Farrington produced the best performance of her career and won by an even more convincing margin against the woman she defeated to win the title in May.