Martin Gethin in career-best stoppage

Walsall's Martin Gethin today declared he's "upped" himself after scoring a stoppage over Scottish champion Stuart Green in less than two rounds.

The two were set for 10 rounds in Gethin's Walsall brawl at the Town Hall on Saturday night but the hometown fighter got the job done early.

Green still holds his national title at light welter, while Gethin has twice won the English lightweight crown and has aspirations at the top level.

But the 28-year-old picked up a small cut near to the right eye that forces him to serve a temporary ban with the British Boxing Board of Control.

That was caused by a clash of heads in the first round but it was Gethin who "saw red" in the second session to force the finish.

A short left hook spewed blood from the mouth of Green and Gethin put a left and right hook together to rock his opponent's jaw as both hurtled towards the ropes.

From there, Green was waved off on his feet after another barrage of punches from Gethin, who got the big result he had been looking for.

He said: "I think I shocked myself. I felt so good in there, relaxed and as soon I started throwing punches I knew they were going to come off.

"That result has topped everything because it proves I have come back as good as I was before.

"Maybe better, I think about my boxing first now and the strength just follows naturally.

"I sat down on my shots and, as soon as he was hurt, I saw red.

"I have upped myself now and, whoever comes next, they will feel a few of my shots and fall over!"

Walsall compatriot, cruiserweight Christopher Keane, took just 40 seconds to wipe out Bulgarian visitor Tzvetan Trashlev on the undercard.

Trashlev offered nothing apart from a gesture that invited Keane to come forward and attack as he was backed into the corner.

Keane left Trashlev dazed by a right hook as he sank to the canvas and, although he answered the count, he had no interest in continuing.

Elsewhere on the show, Dudley's Dean Anderson could not be parted from Michael Stupart as the two took a share of the spoils.

Anderson had to report to hospital with a nasty lump on the right side of his head and Stupart was left bloodied from a cut to the scalp.

Those injuries were caused by an accidental clash of heads but punches were landing at will, as the two featherweights went for the kill.

Anderson had tucked up and pressed forward behind a high guard in the first round and fended off overhand right hooks from Stupart, who never took a step back.

The Scot did his best work in rounds two and three and had Anderson all over the place at the end of the latter session, as the Black Country boxer clung on before being saved by the bell.

Realising he was a round behind, Anderson came back at Stupart as both relentlessly battered each other to the head and body.

Stupart picked up a second cut, this time by the right eye, from another clash of heads but both made it to the bell, Anderson winning the session.

It proved to be important for 'Deano' as the fight was declared a draw by referee Robert Chalmers, a fair result on the balance of the contest.

Cannock's Dave Egan will box on a televised show in just his second fight after a winning start to life as a professional boxer.

The former Chasetown footballer was on target in his debut outing against slippery journeyman Matt Seawright to take a shut out points victory.

The 29-year-old now moves on to a spot on the undercard of the British cruiserweight title rematch between Enzo Maccarinelli and Shane McPhilbin at Wolverhampton Civic Hall on June 22.

Egan, boxing at welterweight, proved his capabilities as a ticket seller and crowd pleaser as he was cheered on by a noisy throng of over 180 fans.

Seawright had come to spoil and frustrate and Egan took his time in working out the 61-fight veteran over the course of their cagey affair.

The former Walsall Wood ABC amateur showed flashes of sharp punching, particularly a snapping right hook that found its mark in the first round.

He was also on hand as Seawright came lunging forward in the second session, only to walk straight onto a right hand coming up that scored another eye-catching shot.

Egan, himself, called the fight "horrible" afterwards, mainly due to the negativity of his opponent, but he got the job and can go forward as an undefeated fighter.

Stourbridge's Steven Pearce picked up his third straight victory since turning pro after keeping his cool to see off Liam Griffiths.

The 27-year-old welterweight won a points margin of 40-35 after Griffiths was docked a point for excessive holding by the referee, Wolverhampton's Gareth Morris, in the last of their four rounds.

Pearce was keen to fight while Griffiths was content with sitting back but he took the first shot of the fight, a stiff right hook that rocked his ribcage.

It was Pearce with the big punch again in the second round, a right uppercut that met the jaw of Griffiths as both fighters got in close.

Pressure was again applied on Griffiths as Pearce again came on strong in the last round and left his opponent hanging on.

Stafford's Grant Cunningham had to overcome the comedy antics of Jody Meikle to keep his '0' intact after four rounds with the late replacement.

The undefeated middleweight from Moss Pit was frustrated by the slippery Scunthorpe combatant, so difficult to catch as he circled the ring at speed.

As he does, Meikle left the crowd aghast as he pulled faces, feigned pain and even danced at one point, looking to drag Cunningham into a fight.

The 28-year-old smiled and picked his shots but found Meikle tough to tag, although he got some of a big right hook in the first round.

And Cunningham got all of a big left hook coming up that rocked Meikle's jaw in round two, along with a two-punch combination using his right to the head and body in the last session.

It was Cunningham whose hand was raised at the final bell in a points shut out, the score 40-36.

By Craig Birch