Start costs Craig Cunningham in Prizefighter
Oldbury's Craig Cunningham couldn't recover from a bad start to his appearance in Prizefighter - but put up a fight before bowing out at the first hurdle.
The Midlands middleweight champion lost to eventual Prizefighter winner Tom Doran in the fourth and last quarter-final at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool, live on Sky Sports.
There was just 14 seconds on the clock when the first meaningful exchange nearly bowled Cunningham over despite landing a decent southpaw left of his own, writes Craig Birch.
His lunge forward saw him talk onto a right uppercut from Doran, sending him stumbling back into the ropes. Unhurt, he soon collected his senses.
But Cunningham was shook as a left jab allowed Doran to load up a right hook that tested his jaw, before a scruffy knockdown spelt more trouble.
He visited the canvas for only the second time but it wasn't a clean shot from Doran, who appeared to strike him with his bicep. Nonetheless, referee Victor Loughlin started the count.
Learning his lessons, Cunningham hung back and made himself a moving target, cleaning up his work, throwing less punches but landing more.
That appeared to win him the second round and left it all to fight for in the third and final session, where Doran came on strong towards the finish.
The knockdown affected the contest as it went to the cards with judges Terry O'Connor and Ian John-Lewis giving Cunningham a round, while Phil Edwards had it as a 30-26 whitewash.
Doran went on to win the whole tournament, stopping Cunningham's stable-mate Cello Renda in the third round of the final.
Renda had taken the undefeated status of Jack Arnfield on a split decision in the semis, while Doran defeated Luke Keeler unanimously over-the-distance.
Renda earlier displayed his power to drop Liam Conroy three times on route to a first round stoppage, while Keeler and Arnfield outpointed Luke Crowcroft and Mick Hall.
