Smyth demolishes Rasani in quick time
St Albans light-heavyweight Joe Smyth made a statement with a quick demolition job at the York Hall in Bethnal Green. Smyth shared a dressing room with Southern Area light-heavyweight champion JJ Ojuederie and was warned by his stablemate that he faced a
St Albans light-heavyweight Joe Smyth made a statement with a quick demolition job at the York Hall in Bethnal Green.
Smyth shared a dressing room with Southern Area light-heavyweight champion JJ Ojuederie and was warned by his stablemate that he faced a tough night's work in his four-round fight against Hastings Rasani.
Ojuederie, set for a British and Commonwealth title challenge later this year, was taken six rounds by Rasani in December 2007 and he also held Welsh ABA light-heavyweight champion Rhys Davies to a draw earlier this year.
But it took Smyth less than three rounds to get the job done.
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Smyth never let the former Commonwealth title challenger into the fight.
He got his jab working in the opening round and then stepped up a gear in the second to rattle Rasani with two-fisted combinations.
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He belted the Birmingham boxer with a right hand that sliced open a cut on his left eyebrow and at the end of the round, the doctor decided the wound was too bad for Rasani to continue and he later needed eight stitches.
"I'm chuffed with that," said Smyth. "It was a step up for me and we only took the fight because there were no other opponents around.
"I don't think my manager Mickey Helliet wanted me to fight him yet, but I think that display showed how much I have improved.
"That should take me a few more places up the rankings and take me nearer the big fights that I want."
Smyth expects to hear soon when his next fight will be with manager Helliet planning a show in Watford.
Helliet has high hopes of Smyth saying: "I've got big plans for Joe and in the next 12 months, he should be ready to fight for titles.
"Joe just needs to work hard at his boxing and keep picking up experience.
