Sunday 5 August 2018 11:40, UK
Daniyar Yeleussinov and Anthony Sims Jr both recorded impressive wins on Saturday, while Jordan Gill won scored an early stoppage to set up a Commonwealth title shot.
'The Kazakh Thunder' Yeleussinov, fighting for the third time in the paid ranks, was a class above Gabor Gorbics at the Ice Arena Wales, Cardiff, scoring a one-sided 60-54 decision win.
The former amateur sensation, a gold medallist from the Rio Olympics, went on the hunt immediately, working with a wide gate to fire into range and flick away a right jab and left-straight combination, his Hungarian counterpart unable to shoot anything of note in return.
Another one-two combination then sent Gorbics staggering into the ropes in the second before a follow-up right again rocked him back.
The gap in quality became even more evident in the next as cuffing blows rained in further, Yeleussinov relaxing into a more menacing mode, before the fourth saw the Kazakh letting his hands go more; beautiful movement setting up a series of hooks to pummel Gorbics, his face now bloodied and swollen, from side to side.
Despite the complete dominance, with eye-catching combinations aplenty, the Olympic gold medallist, cut late on, failed to find the stoppage, Gorbics valiantly staying on his feet to hear the final bell.
"I'm not happy I didn't stop him, I thought I would, definitely," Yeleussinov said.
Matchroom Boxing USA's latest signing Anthony Sims Jr, cousin of Floyd Mayweather, demonstrated his thudding power with an early stoppage of Stanislav Eschner.
The talented light-heavyweight, now 15-0-KO14, has been out of the ring for over a year and he started the six-rounder on the front foot, patiently, getting into the groove, moving into range to unleash a barrage of shots to the body.
In the second, the American started to go through the gears, more good head movement setting up his shots well as his counterpart was forced into survival mode.
Eschner then had to take a count later on in the period after falling to a knee despite Sims Jr range-finding right seemingly missing the intended target, although it had little impact on the eventual outcome.
The man from Indiana continued to pound away in the next few, and after a straight right rocked the Czech on the ropes, the referee soon jumped in.
"I get to show my skills over here, and use my new accent. It's very good experience for the business and then the hardest part of it, the fight," he said afterwards.
"I need a couple more fights before I get back [into the world title mix]. I've been out for a long time."
Earlier in the night, Sean McGoldrick put on a show as he fought in Wales for the first time as a professional, the Newport bantamweight getting the better off Dylan McDonagh after a relentless, hard-fought, battle.
McGoldrick, now 7-0, was pushed all the way by his unbeaten foe before taking a 78-76 verdict.
Jordan Gill produced a first-round stoppage win over David Berna to improve his record to 21-0-KO5.
Promoter Eddie Hearn announced afterwards the 24-year-old featherweight will next challenge Ryan Doyle for the Commonwealth title in London on October 27, with a shot at the British belt an added incentive for the winner.
Light-heavyweight prospect Kody Davies extended his unbeaten record with a routine points win over Anthony Fox, while fellow Welsh duo Nathan Thorley and Daniel Barton tasted victory.
Gamal Yafai and Scott Cardle both got back to winning ways, Yafai stopping Jose Aguilar inside three as Cardle won every round of six against Michael Mooney.
