​Another KO blow for Sam O’maison

It is the second time in three fights that the Waverley southpaw has come unstuck in a brutal opening period.

On Saturday, at Leeds United's Banqueting Suite, at Elland Road, he lost a British welterweight title eliminator against Liam Taylor.

O'maison (aged 32, previous record Won 18 Lost 6 Drew 1) went down from a right inside the first minute and retired from the fight soon afterwards.

Heavy-handed Taylor (26 2 1) appears to have perforated his Rotherham rival's ear drum.

O'maison had lost his last four fights against boxers with winning records, so Saturday's scheduled eight rounder was intended to be a statement fight for him.

Former WBO European champion Taylor, 33, from Middleton, Greater Manchester, was in for an early night though.

In his previous defeat, O'maison had hit the canvas from Kieran Molloy's right hook in Belfast, that contest lasting 102 seconds.

Now he has to work out whether to try and proceed further in his fight career.