Crowd pleaser Campbell keeps getting better

Patrons barely had time to order a fresh round of drinks and Rowan Campbell’s hands were already raised in victory in his catchweight (77.4kg) contest against Nicholas Radley at Emperor’s Palace on Saturday night.

In the bout which headlined the Golden Gloves’ 4@War offering. The SA and African super-middleweight champion made short work of the towering SA light heavyweight title holder, to retain his unbeaten record (120) via a second round TKO.

Campbell (right) got to work and asserted himself early on, getting in close with some heavy body punches, while his string bean opponent, with a distinct height and reach advantage, was content to box from behind his jab to keep his opponent at bay.

Campbell was dangerous at close quarters and sealed the deal with a booming right to Radley’s jaw which buckled his legs and left him all at sea and a sitting duck as Campbell intensified his assault before referee Simon Xamlashe called a halt.

Branden Thysse and Boyd Allen emerged victorious in the 4@

War junior middleweight semifinal shootout, to secure a reprise in March next year of their last battle which Allen won on a split decision in May.

Thysse, now under the tutelage of Damien Durandt, scored a seventh-round knockout victory over Roarke Knapp and Allen stunned Tristan Truter with a savage 10th round TKO triumph.

Thysse’s durability, superb conditioning, quick hands and lightning-quick jab proved to be a handful for Knapp and Knapp was down three times in that decisive seventh round leaving referee Simon Makadi no option but to wave proceedings over.

Allen, with the astute Peter Smith now in his corner, abandoned his galling switch-hitting habit and proved to be an elusive target to the at-times hesitant Truter, but landed some effective counter-punches off the back foot.

After being given two timeouts for what were ruled low blows in rounds seven and nine, Allen suddenly found his venom in the 10th. He exploded with a vicious barrage initiated by a left hook to the chin, driving a groggy Truter into a neutral corner before the referee called a halt.