Dunne dismisses Romanian, plans Dublin bout

Boxing Round-upThe "potential banana skin" that was Marian Leondraliu proved nothing of the sort as Bernard Dunne clinically dispensed with the Romanian late in the sixth round of Saturday night's contest to chalk up his 18th consecutive victory and first on mainland Europe.

Leondraliu arrived at Germany's Leipzig Arena as an unknown quantity, having been parachuted in at the last minute to replace Daniel Kodjo Sassou. But Dunne was soon into his regular rhythm, and some stinging body shots eventually ground down the 32-year-old.

The Dubliner's IBF bantamweight world title was not on the line, but anything less than a convincing victory would have damaged his growing reputation.

Now, along with trainers Harry Hawkins and promoter Brian Peters, Dunne can prepare for a fight early in the New Year. The announcement of an opponent is expected on Thursday.

Dunne's first 14 professional fights were all in the USA, and that is the 25-year-old's preferred destination once more.

"I wanted to fight," he said after his victory. "I've only had three fights this year. We wanted to keep moving, and if I hadn't boxed here it would have been late January, early February before the next fight. That would have been four months in between fights.

"Brian decided it was time to get a fight in to keep momentum going and to keep ourselves in the public eye. We don't want to be forgotten about. As well as boxing at home, we are looking abroad. But America is definitely calling us back."

"America is on the phone all the time," assured Peters, but he also confirmed the next fight will be in Dublin. To keep Dunne's star rising, it will take a tastier opponent than what the poor, albeit gutsy, Leondraliu.

The only scare was an accidental head butt in the fourth that left a cut over Dunne's left eye, but by that stage his jab was making a regular impact.

The end came with 1:24 left in round six as Dunne powered a left hook into Leondraliu's ribs. He beat the count but was unable to continue, and knelt on the canvas as Dunne advanced to finish him off.

Meanwhile, in London on Saturday night, British heavyweight Danny Williams exposed compatriot Audley Harrison's hollow credentials by handing the former Olympic champion his first professional defeat.

Williams (32), whose only claim to fame is a fourth-round knockout of the faded Mike Tyson last year, won a dire fight for the vacant Commonwealth title on a split decision.

Harrison, two years his senior, had defeated 19 mediocrities in an interminable crawl to a world title fight since winning the 2000 Sydney Olympics super-heavyweight gold medal.

The large element among the 15,000 spectators at the ExCel centre in London's Docklands who doubted his ability and commitment had the scepticism confirmed when Harrison barely threw a punch in anger.

Booing erupted in the third round, and during the ninth the crowd were divided between those cheering for Williams and others chanting "Fraudley Audley".

Williams said: "I don't think he had any heart at all, he swallowed it, and if I'd had the engine I would have got him out of there before the end.

"If it had been Audley and not me in those fights against Mike Tyson or Vitali Klitschko, he would have given up. He is in denial and he has got no respect."

On the same bill, Amir Khan kept his ambitious schedule on track by stopping Daniel Thorpe three seconds from the end of round two.

Referee Richie Davis stepped in to spare the brave Sheffield man further punishment midway through a ferocious assault from the Olympic silver-medallist.

Khan had decked Thorpe at the end of the first round and again early in the second before stepping up the pace to secure his fourth and most difficult professional win.

The performance of Khan, who turned 19 on Thursday, fully vindicated his bold decision to step up in class to face the notoriously awkward Thorpe.