Billy Joe Saunders needed just two rounds to take Kevin Hammond out and make it nine wins from nine as a pro.
Workrate and power too much for Hammond
Billy Joe Saunders made light work of Kevin Hammond - becoming the first man to stop him in the process.
The hard-hitting Hatfield man produced a series of chilling bodyshots to record his ninth professional win right on the bell in the second round.
It was sheer power that did for Hammond, a decent campaigner at domestic level, two bodyshots flooring him, the final one just as he thought he'd made it through another round covering up.
Saunders' workrate was as impressive as ever and from the off he was on the attack, crunching Hammond's ribs with a right and once his guard was down, going back up stairs with a well-time straight.
If Hammond was hoping to lure the younger man he, it soon became apparent that he didn't need any encourgament. One sublime combination of rolling left and right bodyshots followed with a left uppercut showed the class he had in the amateurs.
But that right was the real money shot and midway through the second he powered one past Hammond's elbow. The affect, as always, took time to hit home and by the time it had Saunders had rifled home a lovely left uppercut to double the damage.
It was that right that did it again, right at the end of the second. Just as Hammond thought he'd earned himself some respite and respiration time, again the wide hook was angled in under his ribs and this time he slumped onto his knees, beaten and breathless.
Saunders skipped to a neutral corner but the bell for the end of the round sounded. Yet as he headed towards Jimmy Tibbs and his stool, Hammond was declared a beaten man and Saunders had his ninth pro win in a row.
