With the boxing world in mourning this week, there was a poignant moment when those in attendance applauded a 10-bell salute in memory of boxer Georgia O’Connor, who died aged 25 on Thursday.
O’Connor lost her battle with cancer and was a hugely popular figure among her fellow fighters.
The event was hosted by relative newcomers GBM, in what was the promotional outfit’s first stadium card and world-title headliner.
After each fight on the main undercard went to points, Harper made her ring walk at the late time of 23:10 BST.
Nicknamed ‘Belter’, she entered to Gerry Cinnamon’s folk song with the same title.
Several fans had already left, but those who remained gave her a hero’s welcome.
The gulf in class was apparent as early as the first minute when a left hook from Harper drew chants of “Yorkshire” from the crowd.
The former super-featherweight and light-middleweight champion pinned Zimmermann on the ropes and was landing to the head and body.
Hamburg’s Zimmermann had won all 13 professional bouts, having only started boxing aged 37, but in Harper she faced someone who had gone toe-to-toe with world-class operators such as Natasha Jonas and Alycia Baumgardner.
Zimmermann’s will to win did not match her talent as she rushed in her punches and struggled to make any openings.
She did land a solid uppercut in the sixth as a dejected Harper began to cut a frustrated figure.
Blood poured down from Zimmermann’s head after the accidental head clash in the final round, but Harper – who before the fight said she would be disappointed with a points win – could not find the telling blow.
