James Tennyson blows Garry Neale away in two
Portsmouth's Garry Neale (10-1) took an ambitious step up in levels to face Belfast's James Tennyson (23-3), but was blown away in two-rounds by the experienced former World title challenger.
The former European champion came into the ten-round non-title lightweight bout at the Ulster Hall following a failed IBF World super-featherweight title challenge to Tevin Farmer in Boston last October.
The experienced 'Assassin' had unbeaten Neale’s number in the first-round and finished matters clinically in the second with heavy shots that Portsmouth puncher just wasn't accustomed to. Neale did go down in the opener, but it was ruled a slip. He was down twice in the second sgment and couldn't make the second count.
Hard-hitting Tennyson notched up a 19th KO from 23 wins and next defends his Commonwealth super-featherweight crown in a maiden title defence on March 30 in Belfast.
The Mark Dunlop-promoted show in belfast marked the return of professional boxing at the Ulster Hall for the first time in seven years.
On the undercard, Coalisland’s Feargal McCrory’s (10-0) win over Karl Kelly (2-3) landed him the Irish lightweight title, but insists his future lies at super-featherweight. The brutal battle saw both boxers cut and bloodied, with the 26-year-old unbeaten southpaw's hand raised at the end to claim his first professional title after a barrage of unanswered ounches forced referee David John Irving to step in and halt proceedings.
Paul Hyland Jnr (20-1) was forced to climb off the canvas to claim a spirited win over Miroslav Serban (10-2). Serban did have the knockdown in the fifth-round but Hyland Jnr boxed well in patches on the back foot to claim the win 78-74.
Tommy McCarthy (13-1) cruised to a points win over Jiri Svacina (13-34), while Cathy McAleer (2-0) entertained her raucous support with a great four-round win over the equally game Sonia Klos (0-5).
Add in wins for Mathew Fitzsimons (4-1) and Luke Wilton (20-5-1) capped off a fantastic night of boxing in what was the only pro boxing event in the UK on that night.