Conor Quinn wasted little time in his first defence of the Commonwealth silver flyweight title at the Europa Hotel on Saturday night as he stopped Jemsi Kibazange in the second round.
The Beechmount man once again impressed and was clinical once he knew he has the visitor in trouble having dropped him with a body attack late in the first before then finding the finish to the head in the next as his undefeated record remains.
There was so much to admire from Quinn once again who is improving with each contest and the manner of the win was yet another statement as he begins an exiting year in fine style.
"I was delighted to get him out like that," said Quinn after.
"He's fought some top lads and some have gone and won IBO world titles after they fought him, but no-one has done it like that.
"I thought it would be a bit tougher but I'm a big flyweight and punch really hard, so once I started to land my shots I knew it wasn't going to go too long.
"If there's anything there to hit, head, body or arms, I'm going to hit it and hurt you."
It was a good opening with Kibazange there to make a fight of it despite conceding considerable disadvantages in terms of size and he got through with some lopping rights.
Quinn quickly found his timing and a one-two downstairs dropped the visitor in the dying embers of the first as he rose and the bell sounded to prevent him from pouncing.
The writing was on the wall as Quinn knew he had Kibazange where he wanted him and it was only a matter of time before he would find the finish. It would take just over one minute of the second as he cleverly varied the attack with Kibazange protecting downstairs, so he went to the head with a left that had the challenger down and counted out.
Quinn improves to 9-0-1 and will be an interested spectator for next week's European, Commonwealth and British title fight between Connor Butler and Jay Harris.
"All I want to do is win belts," he stressed.
"I'm not under any illusions I'm going to make multi-millions in boxing, but I just want the opportunity to pick up the titles.
"The winner of that will hold all three belts. I understand boxing and if Jay Harris wins, he'll be looking at another crack at a world title and deserves it, but if he needed one in between, I'd take it.
"If Connor Butler wins, he's the same age as myself and at a similar level at the moment, so maybe he'll want to keep the belts and I could step in for a defence."
Murphy blasts out Kisarawe
Colm Murphy took a big step towards a shot at Commonwealth featherweight honours as he powered past Julias Kisarawe in an eliminator for the title.
Murphy has his hand raised
South Belfast's 'Posh Boy' opened patiently off the jab but with Kisarawe offering little in response, Murphy began to put his punches together and trapped the visitor in the corner.
The pace increased in the second with Murphy working the body as Kisarawe had an air of vulnerability as he opened to remain on the ropes and threw the occasional right more in hope than with conviction.
Blood came from the nose of Murphy in the third despite it being unclear what caused it given he was so rarely touched, but this prompted him to go through the gears, again trapping Kisarawe and this time he wasn't letting him off the hook, unloading with meaty hooks to body and head that saw referee Hugh Russell Jnr step in to put the Tanzanian out of his misery after 1.49 of the round as Murphy improves to 10-0.
"I heard the referee say 'you need to show me something' (to Kisarawe) so I worked on it," said Murphy.
"I wish the fight could have gone on, but I can only beat who is in front of me. I was happy with the performance with a new team. Sometimes it can take a while to set in and I do have a lot to improve on, but I'll keep grinding away and hopefully good things will come.
"It's still early days (in my career). I'm only 24 and have plenty of life in me. I don't was to get ahead of myself, but just keep the head down and make the most of being young.
"I'm boxing a lot on these small-hall shows and people might say I'm just a small-hall fighter, but I'm building up my record where hopefully I can get some big-money fights on big platforms.
"I'm grateful for all who pay their hard-earned money to come, my new team and previous team, so hopefully I am out again soon as there is lots to work on."
Earlier in the night, Connor Kerr improved to 3-0 as the Belfast super-bantamweight out-boxed journeyman Jake Pollard over six rounds.
Kerr set a high pace from the off but the wily visitor wasn't allowing many clear openings throughout, but was stunned by an uppercut in the fourth. It was a good showing from 'King Con' who swept Hugh Russell Jnr card, 60-54.
Shannon's David Ryan opened the show with a 60-54 points win over Jake Smith at light-welterweight.
