Sunday 1 April 2018 00:35, UK
Josh Kelly continued his meteoric rise in impressive fashion as he totally outclassed Carlos Molina in Cardiff.
In just his sixth professional outing, the North East star showed dazzling hand-speed and movement to dominate the Mexican 34-year-old, a former world champion and 38-fight veteran, on his way to a 98-92 twice and 99-91 scored unanimous decision win at The Principality.
This was earmarked as Kelly's acid test, a first real signifier of where he is at in his career and where the mercurial 24-year-old talent could possibly get to, and 'Pretty Boy' came through in style
With scintillating speed, Kelly, 'PBK', menacingly got onto the front foot from the opening bell, stalking down Molina, the Mexican unable to match his energetic, youthful, counterpart.
The Rio 2016 Olympian cruised through the gears and, in the second, a spiteful left jab snapped the Mexican's head back before a right, left, combination landed flush.
With his hands down by his side, the unbeaten welterweight, easing in and of range, continued to deliver a near-perfect, complete performance, catching Molina with fast, strong, hooks as Molina willingly plodded forward to little avail.
A well-timed one-two did catch Kelly clean in the fifth, but despite that, 'PBK' continued to dictate proceedings as the fight reached its mid-rounds.
A right uppercut and straight shot then stunned the senior man in the sixth, but still he showed that archetypal Mexican fighting spirit to fight on and wisely do enough to hear the round-ending bell.
With a sharp defence, oozing class, Kelly, going the 10-round distance for just the first time, showed no signs of fatigue as he cruised to an impressive victory.
After claiming the vacant WBA international welterweight title, Kelly said: "He was hard to catch clean and I was getting caught with a few shots so, sometimes, I went on the back foot.
"I didn't want to hurt the hands too much because we have big plans for another fight in June.
"You couldn't switch off in there because Molina was always there. He was that slow that it made him very awkward.
Promoter Eddie Hearn added: "Kelly oozed class in there and he will next be out in Newcastle on June 16."
