Saturday 21 April 2018 22:53, UK
Tommy Coyle ripped the Commonwealth title away from Sean Dodd at the Echo Arena on Saturday night with a brutal sixth-round finish.
'Boom Boom' silenced the rampant home crowd as he floored the popular Birkenhead champion in the fourth before finishing proceedings with a devastating straight right two rounds later to end an all-action affair.
The fight started a tentative one as both men used the opener to feel each other out, Dodd, nicknamed 'Masher', perhaps getting the better.
The second again went the way to the busier 33-year-old Dodd, but, in the next, Coyle sparked the contest into life and a powerful right hand soon sent the champion staggering back towards the ropes.
The Hull challenger savagely went on the hunt and unleashed a barrage of shots but the home favourite fought back to survive and hear the bell.
The minute in-between rounds would prove to little affect though for the Birkenhead man and again 'Boom Boom' spitefully went on the front foot, stalking down the unsteady champion before again he felt the full force of a heavy right that this time planted him on the canvas.
Dodd survived but, despite a spirited comeback in the fifth, the Yorkshireman stayed on top and the end was clearly near.
That finish came a round later when another devastated right sent the champion down and although Dodd bravely rose to his feet, after a barrage of shots, the referee mercifully ended proceedings, sparking emotional scene in the Coyle corner.
The new Commonwealth champion said afterwards: "I nearly walked away from the sport, but I'm overwhelmed with this, I can't explain this feeling.
"With the new team around me I thought let's have one more roll of the dice. I'm here and I'm the new champion.
"I just want to let this sink in and enjoy it, I'm going to go home and give the kids the belt and then we can make some decisions."
