Sunday 22 April 2018 13:55, UK
As Amir Khan made his ring return in emphatic fashion, we look back on an action-packed night at Liverpool's Echo Arena.
It's hard to take much from 40 seconds of action but what we saw from Amir Khan was that his dazzling hand speed has shown no signs of slowing over a two-year hiatus and there is certainly power sitting behind those punches.
Lo Greco is not elite level, but the fact that 'King' Khan dispatched of him quicker than the division's hardest hitter Errol Spence Jr and Shawn Porter was taken the distance by the Canadian, perhaps it speaks volumes about where Khan fits back into the welterweight scene.
After his devastating victory, Khan claimed that he joined Matchroom Boxing to hunt down his bitter rival Kell Brook but how much that rings true still remains unclear. The pair engaged in the middle of the ring, exchanging verbal blows, but are they finally on course to fight?
For years weight was never an issue, but now with Brook at 154lb and Khan still down at welter, is there more reason than ever for this bitter showdown to pass us by? Both want to reclaim world honours so whether a fight with each other trumps those aspirations, only they will know. Now under the same promotional banner, if they both want it, it can and will happen, only time will tell.
After what he readily recalls as a 'nightmare' last outing against Cedrick Peynaud, Conor Benn showed vast improvements and undoubted composure as he returned after four months away from the squared circle.
Benn, still just 21, is learning on the job and although his thunderous punch power and dazzling hand speed are there for all to see, there will be plenty more to add to the mix. 'The Destroyer' is dedicated and in beating Chris Truman, Benn didn't rush his work, taking his time and letting the finish come. Signs are there that the protégé is maturing and candidly improving with each ring experience.
Even the most diehard fans of Sean Dodd would find it hard to begrudge Tommy Coyle a career-high moment as he ripped the Commonwealth title away from 'Masher', sparking emotional scenes in the away corner.
This was a fight between two of boxing's nice guys and fight is exactly what they did, but it was Coyle who boxed supremely to powerfully blast past Dodd. After years of near misses, harrowing nights against Derry Mathews and Luke Campbell included, finally 'Boom Boom' got his time in the sun and, wherever he goes from here, he will always remember this unassailable high.
Liverpool's always had a fine fighting pride, back to the days of the great John Conteh, and Anthony Fowler and Natasha Jonas are the latest locals set to make their mark.
Proud Merseysiders, former amateur standouts, the two received a rapturous applause as they made their way to the ring at the Echo Arena before respectively extending their unbeaten records. They are still very early on in their careers but already they have huge support and, no doubt, they will have aspirations to themselves be topping the bill at their home arena in years to come.
