Bannockburn’s Jamie Coyle stopped Sheffield’s Tony Montana in the third round of their six-three’s welterweight main event, with an impressive display of hard accurate punching at the St. Andrews Sporting Club.

Coyle started off slowly and couldn’t get into a rhythm against the awkward switch-hitting style of Montana, who had success with right hands over Coyle’s low left hand.

Another long left-right combination connected for Montana and this made Coyle’s trainer, John McDermott shout for his man to “fire off and don’t wait on him”

It was advice that was immediately taken onboard as moments later Coyle slammed a hard right hand into the jaw of Montana that made the Englishman’s legs buckle and had him falling forward to the canvas.

Montana managed to haul himself up, but referee Al Hutcheon took a long hard look at him before letting Tony continue. As it transpired the bell sounded just as action was waved back on.

In round two Montana looked to have recovered well as he came out swinging, but Jamie had now found his range with the jab and followed it up with sickening body shots.

The hard blows downstairs were really sapping Montana’s energy and Coyle sent over another semtex filled right hand which blasted into the face of Montana who staggered backwards and was only held up by the ropes.

Montana wasn’t as hurt as he had been first time round but would still have been relieved to hear the bell sound just after Coyle had shot another hard right hand over his head.

Coyle’s jab was back in Montana’s face in the third and he looked to be picking up the tempo with such fury that one sensed the end was nigh.

And so it proved as Coyle backed Montana to his own corner before cutting loose with a furious two handed assault that gave Mr Hutcheon no option but to stop the fight at the 2:07 mark.

All in all it was a very well rounded performance from Coyle, who could make swome noise in the British Welterweight scene if he manages to tighten up his defence a little.

Six-two’s chief support at light-middle saw Clydebank’s Vinnie Baldassara pick up technical knockout as his fight with Belfast’s Ciaran Healy was stopped after the fourth round on a cut.

Healy was the early aggressor and stalked Baldassara before trapping him in a corner and landing three good hooks before Baldassara wriggled free and got back on his bike. Baldassara tried to keep Healy off with the jab but the Irishman managed to bore right through it and connected with two more rights before the round was out.

Baldassara got his jab working in the second and peppered Healy with it as he was persistent in bulling forward, head down, the whole time looking like a sucker for an uppercut but Baldassara never took up the invitation. Vinnie just kept of popping out the jab and circling away from Healy’s right hand.

Round’s three and four continued the cat and mouse style of the fight with Baldassara’s jab neutralising the occasional right hand success of the aggressive Healy. There wasn’t a lot of clean work in either round but perhaps you could have made a case for Baldassara’s jab winning the rounds.

The fight had been very competitive but almost right on the bell to end round four, both men dipped low and there was a clash of heads that opened an almost two inch long horizontal gash on the left side of Healy’s scalp. The ringside physician inspected the wound and informed referee Kenny Pringle that the fight could not continue, and he suitably waved the bought off and informed Baldassara that he had won.

The shows opener was delayed by about half an hour as a drainage pipe sprung a leak and water fell from the roof into the St. Andrews Suite and soaked the edge of the canvas as the boxers were being introduced. Staff worked furiously and finally the water was dried up and this let debutant Jimmy Gilhaney from Newmains score his first win with a 58-57 six-two’s victory over Birmingham’s Peter Buckley.

Gilhaney was the smarter boxer and worked off his jab well, but when he had success he looked too over-eager and would step forward to apply pressure to Buckley, whilst leaving himself wide open. Buckley’s seen it all and took every opportunity presented to him, flashing right hands over Gilhaney’s low left had and bring round the occasional left hook as well.

If he had stuck to his outside boxing then Gilhaney would have won this fight at a canter. As it was though he was made to work for his win by Buckley who will have taught him to maintain a tight defence at all times.

The score was very kind to Buckley, but Gilhaney will be happy to get off to a winning start and can always recall the night when he literally brought the house down.