Kell Brook's weight and win, Gavin McDonnell's success, Kid Galahad's class and David Allen's disappointment...
Sunday 4 March 2018 18:51, UK
It was a dramatic night at the Sheffield Arena, where Kell Brook returned to winning ways, and three other Yorkshiremen all gave us something to talk about.
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Everything was on the line for Brook as he made his return to the ring following back-to-back defeats and the Sheffield star dazzled in front of his adoring home fans to record a devastating knockout.
Seven pounds clearly makes a huge difference in boxing and Brook looked powerful and more comfortable than ever at the 154lbs limit. Of course, tougher tests will come, but this was about tasting victory once again and sending out a statement to his new divisional rivals.
Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest questions going into Brook's super-welterweight acid test centred on how his eyes, which were both injured in his previous two outings, would hold up. 'The Special One' cruised to the win and hardly took a punch during four-and-a-half minutes of action so how well he has recovered is still out for debate, with Carl Froch seeing nothing but encouraging signs.
He didn't look like he was clinching, or twitching, or shying away from any shots coming at him.
Brook is now intent on becoming a two-weight world champion and promoter Eddie Hearn wants him to return quickly in June. Regardless of his injury setbacks, the Brook train is well and truly back on track.
Gavin McDonnell was wrongly given the underdog tag ahead of his dust-up with unbeaten prospect Gamal Yafai and the former world title challenger quashed those pre-fight predictions with a dominant and impressive victory.
The Doncaster super-bantamweight worked behind a potent jab to outwork and outclass his younger opponent and prove he still has plenty to give in this unforgiving sport. A world title is the only thing that has alluded McDonnell in his career to date and he will now hope for a second chance to complete the set.
Kid Galahad's destructive stoppage of Irving Berry all but confirmed that the unbeaten Sheffield favourite is ready to test himself against the division's elite. There are levels in boxing and the 28-year-old is ready for the highest one.
The power, poise and accuracy Galahad showed in recording a vicious third-round knockout sent out a timely reminder to his rivals and in a division beaming with British talent, including Lee Selby, Carl Frampton, Scott Quigg and Josh Warrington, Galahad will be desperate to get in the mix.
The David Allen story continues, but it was not the ending that anyone would have wanted or envisaged. The British heavyweight came into his rematch with Commonwealth Lenroy Thomas in great shape, but an accidental head-butt meant this fight was over before it had even began and despite the protests, the right decision was made on this one, health is paramount after all.
Allen will hope that the pair can get it on for a third time to give him a chance to finally get redemption, but for now, he will be bitterly disappointed after the latest twist in his boxing tale.
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