South Yorkshire boxer Joe Hayden stakes British claim with emphatic win
South Yorkshire welterweight Joe Hayden furthered his case for a British title shot within the next year with a punishing TKO, on home turf.
The 26-year-old southpaw bludgeoned Welsh rival James Atkins to head and body on the ropes before referee Howard Foster stepped in.
Friday's stoppage 102 seconds into the second round at Doncaster Dome, delivered him the Commonwealth Silver title along with an international belt, his first professional straps.
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It was his 22nd consecutive win as he approaches his fourth year in the paid ranks, an unblemished career that has been built slowly and carefully.
The naturally shy Hayden admits he had lacked self confidence in his earlier life and boxing, under the guidance of Dave Allen, had brought him out of his shell.
The titles had been "a dream come true" he said.
"When me and Dave started training on his patio six years ago, the dream was to win a professional title...and we've won two.
"We have achieved us goal and we have achieved us dream together.
"If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have these two belts. I owe it all to Dave, really" he told Boxingnow.
"We are pushing on now and ready to take them leaps" he said, now he has "found my style."
Steel City gym's six-time national amateur champion Mykyle Ahmed recorded another TKO on the bill, this one coming in the third round.
Doncaster Dome results:
Joe Hayden (previously) 21 0 0 Conisbrough stopped James Atkins 9 0 0 Porthcawl; welterweight.
Mykyle Ahmed 3 0 0 Sheffield stopped Charles Tondo 16 15 3 Tanzania; bantam
Edward Hardy 5 0 0 Doncaster beat Emiliano Leonel Araujo Argentina; 7 10 1; feather
Samantha Lightfoot 1 0 0 Sheffield bt Sydney Chambers 0 4 0 Manchester; feather
Liam Carrigan debut Doncaster bt Simas Volosinas 7 127 0; Lithuania; welter
Calvin Moyo 3 0 0 Doncaster bt Jake Smith 1 31 4 Doncaster; super middle
Chris Mulunda 1 0 0 Sheffield bt Jack Swallow 4 6 1, Glossop; super welter
Kian Hamilton debut Doncaster bt Naeem Ali 3 150 1 Blackburn; super welter.
Meanwhile, popular heavyweight Dave Allen (25-8-2) will try and sell out Doncaster Rovers' Eco-Power Stadium when he fights Croatian Filip Hrgovic on May 16.
The bout will headline a Frank Warren card.
Hrgovic has been beaten once in 20 fights - by Britain's former IBF and WBA world champion Daniel Dubois.