EDINBURGH boxer Kenny Anderson came from behind to stop tough Zimbabwean Hastings Rasani in 49 seconds of round three at Glasgow's Kelvin Hall last night.
However, it was a bittersweet victory for Anderson as he learned his grandfather, Jack, had passed away in an Edinburgh hospital earlier in the day.
The sad news was withheld from the 25-year-old until after the bout.
Pre-fight the big ringsi
de talking point had been the fact that, although the bout was billed at light-heavyweight, Anderson came into the ring as a cruiserweight, scaling 13 stone while opponent Rasani also tipped the scales at 13st 2lbs.
That went some way to explaining why a career-heavy Anderson appeared unusually sluggish in the first round in which he was pummelled non-stop with double body hooks and cracking right hands from West Bromwich-based Rasani, who clearly took the opening round.
In the second, galvanised by his cornerman Dean Powell, Anderson stormed out and, despite being rocked briefly by a scything Rasani uppercut, the Capital man staggered Rasani with a vicious volley of body hooks right on the bell.
No sooner had a now fired-up Anderson answered the bell for round three than he blasted Rasani to defeat with crushing right and left hands forcing referee Kenny Pringle to stop the fight in 49 seconds of the third.
Anderson said: "I went missing in action in round one – he was a big strong guy – but I got the job done in the third.
"I want to dedicate my win to my grandfather, who died earlier in the day although I'm glad my corner team didn't tell me of his death before the fight. I also look forward to boxing on December 6 in London – my aim is still the Celtic and British super-middleweight crowns in 2009."
But Anderson's manager Barry Hughes said: "Before Kenny fights for titles we aim to keep him busy with some other six and eight-round fights."
Meanwhile, a late change of opponent did not faze Edinburgh welterweight Gary McMillan after Worksop's Manocha Salari pulled out of his fight.
Despite giving muscular Stourbridge substitute, Kevin McAuley, the benefit of a 7lbs weight advantage, the Lochend man used stiff southpaw right jabs and sweeping left uppercuts to dominate the ring action for long spells.
However, the terrifically strong McAulay staged a grandstand finish in round four to win one round from referee Kenny Pringle although there were never any doubts about McMillan's 39-37 points win over four rounds.
Commented McMillan: "McAulay was just the kind of hard, rough, guy that I need to beat to ensure that I get a regular spot on these championship bills before I too, fight for a title in the near future."
At the top of the bill, Paisley's Kevin McIntyre failed in his bid to win the British welterweight title, losing in just two minutes of the first round to Sheffield's Kell Brook.
The full article contains 500 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
