Josh Kelly (right) lands a right hand
Josh Kelly (right) lands a right hand

Stoppage victory for Josh Kelly against Jose Luis Zuniga


Josh Kelly produced a scintillating performance as he stopped Jose Luis Zuniga in the second round at Belfast's SSE Arena.

The Sunderland 23-year-old was in imperious form and put on an eye-catching show as he destructively became the first man to stop the Mexican.

'Pretty Boy', a 2016 Rio Olympian, came out the blocks in explosive fashion and quickly landed a stunning uppercut that rocked his opponent's head back.

From then, Kelly went on the hunt and swung away with punishing hooks as Zuniga valiantly tried to cover up on the ropes, managing to survive until the bell.

There was no respite for the 28-year-old though as the fight entered its next period, the talented North East star again showing impressive footwork and hand-speed, jumping in and out of range to land some flashy and ferocious hooks.

Kelly then found a home for another searing uppercut that shook his outclassed opponent before a destructive left hand landed to the body, leading to the referee waving off the contest.

'Pretty Boy' said afterwards: "I started sharp and caught him off guard. I can only do what I can do in there. It was good to get out there in front of the Belfast crowd.

"He's a Mexican champion and had never been stopped, he was brought in to give us a hard eight rounds. He was very tough, I was hurting my hands on my head, but I got the job done."

Related links

Like what you've read?

MOST READ

Sporting Life
Join for free!
Access to exclusive features all for FREE - No monthly subscription fee
Race Replays
My stable horse tracker
giftOffers and prize draws
newsExclusive content

Next Off

Fixtures & Results

Fetching latest games....
We are committed to Safer Gambling and have a number of self-help tools to help you manage your gambling. We also work with a number of independent charitable organisations who can offer help and answers any questions you may have.
Gamble Aware LogoGamble Helpline LogoGamstop LogoGordon Moody LogoSafer Gambling Standard LogoGamban Logo18+ LogoTake Time To Think Logo