RECORD IS GONE IN 112 SECONDS

Unbeaten for 10 years, Mcdonnell knocked out by Inoue after battle to make weight

JAMIE MCDONNELL’S 10-year unbeaten record came to a shattering end in just 112 seconds.

The distraught fighter accepted he must move up after Naoya Inoue destroyed him inside one round yesterday to take his cherished WBA bantamweight title in Japan.

Mcdonnell looked totally weight-drained against Inoue as his fouryear reign as champion ended in his seventh defence.

He was floored twice by Inoue, 25, before referee Luis Pabon stepped in to stop the fight after less than two minutes at Tokyo’s Ota City General Gymnasium.

Mcdonnell was in tears and conceded to friends that he needs to step up because making 118lbs is taking so much out of him.

Former world title challenger Matthew Macklin, who summarised on the fight for Sky Sports, claims it is the only way forward for the Doncaster fighter.

“It’s a devastating loss for Jamie Mcdonnell, but he has to move up,” he said. “He just can’t make the weight any more.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn paid tribute to Mcdonnell, saying: “Much respect to Jamie Mcdonnell for his 10-year unbeaten run. He always wanted to fight the best.”

The heavy-handed Inoue needed under two minutes to end Mcdonnell’s record. Shrinking his body to make the weight appeared to have eroded Mcdonnell’s punch resistance and Inoue staggered him with a left hook to the head in the opening seconds.

Mcdonnell, 32, was wide open to Inoue’s left hook and the Japanese floored him for the first time with another one to the body.

He took an eight count before retreating on to the ropes, where Inoue unloaded a barrage of shots to put him down again, prompting Pabon to step in and stop the contest after one minute and 52 seconds of the action.

It was a sad end to Mcdonnell’s proud reign as world champion and he broke down in the ring as he embraced his twin brother Gavin.

Inoue has become a three-weight world champion in just 16 fights and could face Belfast’s Ryan Burnett, who holds the WBA Super title, in the new season of the World Boxing Super Series.

NASEEM HAMED’S legendary former trainer Brendan Ingle has died aged 77 from a brain haemorrhage. Dublin-born Ingle (above) had huge success operating out of his famous Wincobank gym in Sheffield and Hamed was one of four world champions he...

considered Francis, who retired four years ago, the finest British fighter never to win a world title. Former world lightweight champion Anthony Crolla agreed, saying: “A great fighter. If it wasn’t for injuries earlier in his career he would have...

MISERY FOR MAC Mcdonnell suffered at the hands of Inoue in Japan and will look at a step up in weight