GONE IN 90 SECONDS...

Douglas takes Tyneside by storm in a minute-and-a-half, writes Roy Kelly

NEWCASTLE NOVEMBER 24 ★★★ WHOLE SHOW

BEN DOUGLAS marked his professional debut in explosive fashion with a 90-second destruction of James Barnes. The Nottingham super-middleweight downed the home boxer inside the first minute of four scheduled rounds at the intimate but atmospheric Scotswood Social Club. Barnes was up swiftly, only to be felled again by a right to the head from his powerful rival.

The game Geordie rose at ‘eight’, but he was soon trapped in a corner and wobbled by another blockbuster right, prompting referee Ron Kearney to, correctly, step in at 1-30.

Each of the other four-rounders on this Steve Wraith promotion, hosted by Matty Jobes, went the way of the home corner on points. Another debutant, Connor

Somerville, held the superior technical skills against Belfast’s winless, but game, Alec

Bazza, with the Newcastle lightweight gaining a 40-36 shutout from Mr Kearney.

Referee Steve Hawkins marked the same score for Newcastle newcomer Chrissy

Atkinson. The skilled middleweight jabbed superbly to defeat regular Northern Irish visitor Casey Blair, of Bangor.

Redcar welter Tom Hill’s army of fans hijacked this corner of Tyneside with chants of “Tee, Tee, Tees-sider”, and they were in full voice as Northern Ireland were beaten again.

Belfast veteran James Gorman was the victim, barely landing a punch as Hill went on the offensive for the first three rounds, before boxing nicely on the back foot in the last to seal the deal 40-36 from Mr Kearney.

Alnwick southpaw welter Tom Walsh had an entertaining scrap with David Zubrzycki. The shorter Leeds boxer earned his share of the first three minutes, but Walsh used his strength, height and reach to pick him off for a 40-37 verdict from Mr Hawkins.

THE VERDICT Douglas couldn’t have dreamed of a better debut.