Irvin Pascal knocked his opponent off his feet to claim the Eddie Edwards Trophy for the best Hove performance of the night on their annual show.
A devastating right hook swept Rusthall’s Sam Roberts to the canvas as the Hove boxer demonstrated his power on the club’s 34th dinner show with the OS & B Society.
A dazed Roberts clambered to his feet to take an eight count but Pascal pounced, throwing in hooks and straight right hands to send the Tunbridge Wells boxer down on one knee before the referee called a halt.
Pascal admitted: “I wanted to see what he had early on and found that nothing had fazed me so I unleashed on him.
“I have been trying to believe that I really do have the power and go in there with confidence.
“I just unleashed that power and it was one hell of a punch. It has given me confidence.”
There was the flashy ring leap of the ropes from Chris Eubank junior when he met Whitehawk’s John Pema.
Pema, with War Master emblazoned on his vest, has a reputation as a scrapper and Eubank initially took no chances in a frantic opening.
By the end of the round, however, he was showing some of the traits that characterised his father’s career as he strutted about the ring before reminding Pema that there was substance behind the bravado with a thumping hook to the head almost on the bell.
Eubank cut the clowning in the second round, a barrage of hooks and backhands trapped Pema in his own corner, forcing two standing eight counts before the referee stopped the contest.
Those efforts from Eubank ensured he took the Jack Pook Trophy for the best Hove senior boxer on the night.
Pema and Eubank may have thrilled the crowd but for those appreciative of controlled boxing and technique, the next bout between Moulsecoomb’s Daniel White and Harry Bambridge was something of a treat.
Bambridge got the nod by a majority after an excellent contest.
Another Hove boxer to catch the eye on the 16-bout card was James Child, who dazed Gary Lucas (Sweet Science) with a flurry of solid shots in the first round to inflict an eight count before his opponent was stopped seconds later as he reeled back under the next attack.
It was only Child’s second bout.
Hove’s Zak Morgan took the Roy Pook Trophy for the best Hove junior after beating Brad Smith (Hillcrest) in a tidy bout but Nathan Rodrigues lost to West Hill’s come-forward John Verlander in a hard-fought bout as he was outworked from the second round.
Rodrigues collected the Steve Danahar Trophy for the most dedicated Hove boxer in training.
Bognor’s Shane Wadey produced a determined, no frills performance to win his rematch with Lewis Alexander (Hove).
Meanwhile Bognor’s Jake Bennett could consider himself fortunate to take the majority decision over West Hill’s Tony Gregory.
Hove’s Braden Mercer lost to St Gerards’ Tim Bottonley after a close contest and Armando Muca was penalised for use of the shoulder against Epsom and Ewell’s Billy English as he lost by a majority.
A messy bout saw Danny Connor take a unanimous decision over Hove’s Dave Nutley while Jason Townsend was beaten by Greg Tomkins.
Moulsecoomb’s Andy Swan tired in the third round of a full-blooded contest of debutants and was stopped in the final seconds by Epsom’s John McIntee.
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