Harlem Eubank took the vacant IBF intercontinental welterweight title at the Brighton Centre, as he took a dominant and entertaining 10th round stoppage win against Tyrone McKenna on Friday.
Eubank (21-0, 9 KOs) moved up to welterweight a fight earlier, a unanimous decision win over Nurali Erdogan while McKenna (24-6-1, 7 KOs) was last seen last December, when he upset Dylan Moran for a second round win in Waterford.
It was a pedestrian first three rounds, with Eubank’s jab and movement the difference, but the fight came to life in round four when the home favourite landed a left hand that buzzed McKenna, and had him disorientated momentarily.
The visitor tried to use his long levers and range, working his jab in the fifth, but Eubank, 31, then found a sweetly-timed right hand that dropped the Belfast man.
The 35-year-old beat the count and continued, but he was struggling to pin his opponent down, and was becoming more ragged in the process, with the end of the seventh seeing him on the deck again, after a looping right hand from Eubank was bang on target.
‘The Mighty Celt’ simply couldn’t deal with the speed of his opponent, and although he was competitive, Eubank was always a move ahead, and round 10 saw a body shot go in that had McKenna over once more, but this time the blow was ruled low, but almost immediately on the resumption, he walked into another right hand that forced him to the canvas again.
Eubank decided to step on the gas on the resumption, and a measured attack saw the referee intervene.
Conlan returns to winning ways
Michael Conlan returned to the ring after over a year out after a second failed world title bid and a stoppage loss to Jordan Gill, and he eased his way back into things with a points win over eight rounds at super featherweight against Asad Asif Khan (19-6-1, 5 KOs).
Conlan (19-3, 9 KOs) was adjudged a 78-74 winner, as he shook off the ring rust.
The 33-year-old will face European featherweight champion, Cristobal Lorente next.
Toward stunned by Kakande
Popular super welterweight, Dan Toward suffered a first professional defeat, stopped in five rounds against Muzamiru Kakande (9-1-1, 6 KOs).
The Ugandan dropped Toward (5-1, 4 KOs) heavily with a right hand, and with the 23-year-old unsteady, the fight was waved off, as he rose on wobbly legs.
Harris marches past Katsuk
Matty Harris (8-1, 6 KOs) took care of late-notice replacement Volodymyr Katsuk (5-3, 2 KOs), needing less than a round to see off the Ukrainian in their heavyweight meeting set for six.
Remaining Undercard
Tom Welland (8-0, 5 KOs) impressed, as he removed Ally B Lubanja (5-2-2) from battle with a body shot in the fourth round of their featherweight clash.
Super featherweight prospect, Codie Smith (5-0-1) dropped Jose Manuel Perez (13-18-1, 10 KOs) twice in the third round of their clash, and eventually won 60-53 on the referee’s card.
View this post on Instagram
Also at super featherweight, JP O’Meara (5-0) was a 39-37 winner over four rounds against Mark Butler (3-17, 1 KO).
Cruiserweight novice, Lucas Roehrig (3-0, 2 KOs) won all six rounds at cruiserweight against Camilo Castagno (4-10, 1 KO), and at light heavyweight, Ben Andrews (5-0, 1 KO) was a third round winner against Navid Iran (10-6-1, 1 KO).
