World-rated Eamon O’Kane headed a Keith Mayo promoted card at Swindon’s Oasis Leisure Centre on February 13 as he floored Hungary’s Ferenc Hafner six times before referee Jeff Hinds finally waved the contest off at 1:32 of the fourth.
Eamon, who looked absolutely ripped at 11st 5lbs, had the visitor down once in the first, four times in the third and twice in the fourth. Hefner, 11st 4lbs and now 23-7 (12), couldn’t take the body shots that the Swindon-based fighter was consistently dishing out. He has a replacement for original opponent Frankie Borg.
To his credit, Hafner did register a flash knock down in the second and tried his best to follow up. But with O’Kane simply embarrassed rather than hurt, the tide soon turned predictably back in Eamon’s favour.
O’Kane progresses to 13-1-1 (5) and is obviously levels above this strata of opposition.
Swindon cruiserweight prospect Luke “The Duke” Watkins stopped Hungarian Jano Markhot in chief support after 1:32 of the third of a scheduled eight-threes. Watkins, 14st 3lbs and now 4-0 (3), failed to look explosive over the first two sessions but when a hard right hand high on the head floored his opponent in the third he followed up quickly and after another visit to the canvas the evening’s referee Hinds waved the affair off. Markhot scaled 13st 8lbs and is now 8-6 (4).
Swindon super-middle Kelvin Young struggled to return to winning ways after being stopped in November by Latvian Krill Psonko as he was held to a six-round 57-57 draw by Croydon’s Joe Walsh.
Kelvin, who is now 16-4-1, looked massively out-of-sorts and failed to put together much meaningful offense at all. Young, who is a former southern area king and IBO intercontinental strap holder, will need to improve on this showing when facing Chris Hobbs next month in Portsmouth. Both scalled 12st 4lbs.
Former two-time ABA titlist Danny Bharj made a successful paid bow in outpointing Hereford’s Dean Evans by 59-56 over six twos.
Danny is a southpaw with decent footwork and a swagger in his step. He coiled in left hooks and right hands and generally showed good variety in attack and defence. Evans, 9st 9lbs now 0-2, was game and scored with three hard right hands in the fifth which seemed to place the debutant on shaky pins. Bharj scaled 9st 10lbs.
Swindon’s Tariq Quaddus moved to 9-1 overall and eight fights unbeaten in his comeback as he endured a frustrating evening against Nottingham’s cheeky Gilson de Jesus over six threes. Tariq took every session on the scorecard but could wipe the smirk off the showboating De Jesus’ face. Gilson, 12st 9lbs and now 2-9, regularly mimicked a goldfish in playfully opening and closing his mouth with his hands down. While Tariq was always on top, he was a little predictable in setting up his attacks and Gilson’s wind-up antics were able to continue.
Also form Swindon, Ryan Martin shut out experienced and competent Kevin McCauley from Brighton over four-threes. Southpaw Martin, 10st 8lbs and now 3-0, lead off sharply with left hooks and uppercuts. He was patient and worked the body well. McCauley was sure to always reply like the solid pro he is, but couldn’t stall the youngster’s momentum. Ryan Weighed 8st 10lbs and Kevin scaled 8st 11lbs.
Finally, George Groves-managed “Old School” Garvey Kelly from Swindon was upset and stopped in the sixth against Exeter’s Faheem Khan in a scheduled six-threes. Kelly was floored in the second and twice more in the sixth before being pulled out by the third man at 1:46.Kelly weighed 10st 9lbs and Garvey scaled 10st 12lbs.
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