Billy Joe Saunders huffed and puffed but failed to blow Lee Noble away inside the distance.
Second points win on the spin as stubborn Noble stifles Billy Joe
Billy Joe Saunders huffed and puffed but failed to blow Lee Noble away in a one-sided six-rounder.
The Hatfield traveller extended his perfect professional start to 5-0 as all three former amatuer stars enjoyed undercard wins in Newcastle.
Noble had only been stopped once before and clearly set his stool out to make the distance again, disappearing behind a solid guard at the sound of the first bell - and taking more than a minute to even poke out a precautionary jab.
It left Saunders with a problem to solve and the 20-year-old set about breaking down his man with an array of shots.
The left-right combination to the body often led the way but only when he snuck through a sweet left uppercut at the end of the opening round, did he make any real headway.
Another left to the ribs kicked off the second, but as high as the tempo was and as hard as his punches were, Saunders could not get through.
To his credit, he stepped back a but in the second and third, attempting to lure Noble from behind his gaurd and by the fourth the Yorkshireman's arms were down.
Unfortunately by then, Saunders had slowed, the sheer volumne of arm punches and shots to a solid body taking their toll.
He was caught by a rare riposte from Noble in the fifth, but kept hammering away for all he was worth, at least getting some valuable practice at piecing together his combinations with little fear of being countered.
Even the extra two rounds could not help him prise open a stubborn defence as he coasted to a 60-55 victory on the cards, but a second successive conundrum he was unable to solve inside the distance.
