Monday 11 December 2017 11:39, UK
Daniel Dubois and Anthony Yarde maintained their unbeaten records with explosive KO wins at the Copper Box, on Saturday night.
Heavyweight Dubois matched world champion Anthony Joshua's achievement by stopping Dorian Darch in 231seconds, while light-heavyweight star Yarde became the first to stop experienced Nikola Sjekloca.
With the likes of Joshua, Tyson Fury, David Haye, Tony Bellew and Joseph Parker dominating the heavyweight scene, Dubois sent out a far from gentle reminder.
'AJ' beat Darch - 51 seconds into the second round - when they met back in February 2014, but 'Dynamite' went one step further, flooring the Welshman no fewer than four times.
Dubois' explosive right had Darch down at the end of the first, then with in moments of the second round starting, the 20-year-old south Londoner landed three more before a short left hook put his opponent down again.
The same happened as soon as Darch had got to his feet and then before the clock had reached the full minute, two crisp jabs set up the trademark finish, another brutal right taking Dubois to 6-0-KO6.
It saw him pick up the WBC International Silver title and he could well face unbeaten Nathan Gorman (11-0-KO9) for the English heavyweight title.
Yarde not only remained unbeaten but is yet to go beyond four rounds after dismantling light-heavyweight Sjekloca in style.
The Ilford man put his opponent down in the second and fourt rounds with his vicious right punishing a Serbian who had spent most of his career as a super-middleweight, but recently went the distance in a European title fight at 175lbs.
Yarde and Sjekloca traded shots in an offensive opener and although he had been pinned on the ropes for a large chunk of the second round, the Brit landed a lovely right uppercut and followed it up with a crisp right cross, to score the first knockdown.
To his credit, Sjekloca fought back in the third but leaening on the job, Yarde took wisely his time before a typically short and razor-sharp finish in the fourth.
Yarde's left hook floored his foe again and with another uppercut landing as soon as Sjekloca (32-5-1-KO11) had made it up, refreee Steve Gray rightly stepped in to save him serious damage.
