by Luke Cawdell

A battering in the ring on Saturday night has shattered Tom Dallas’ professional standing.

The 26-year-old was stopped in the fifth round at Sheffield’s Hillsborough Leisure Centre by a man 19 years his senior.

Matt Skelton - a former world heavyweight title challenger - produced a devastating performance to leave referee Phil Edwards with no choice but to step in and stop Dallas from taking any more punishment.

Dallas (pictured) had gone into the fight looking to prove he deserves a place among the nation’s elite, having being knocked out in his last outing, by stablemate and rising star David Price.

But the Chatham fighter was second best in every department to a 45-year-old aiming to recapture some of his former glory. Skelton claimed the European heavyweight title in 2008, losing it a year later, but hadn’t fought since October 2010.

Dallas has now suffered Kos in his last two bouts and put in an unconvincing performance to beat American Zack Page in the fight before, leaving his hopes of professional glory in tatters.

Fellow Chatham fighter Joe Elfidh, however, was celebrating on Saturday night after causing an upset on his return to the ring.

Elfidh’s last professional fight was in July 2009. He was up against former ABA champion and much-fancied Joe Hughes but despite having little time to prepare, with only a week’s notice, the 31-year-old won the six-round contest on points.

It takes the light welterweight’s pro record to 7-0 but has no time to rest as he is up against Richard Commey at the Brentwood Centre in mid-April.

On Friday night, at The Troxy in London, Thanet’s Dan Woodgate continued his impressive form with a fifth straight victory.

He won all six rounds against Latvia’s Jevgenijs Andrejevs to leave referee Jeff Hinds with an easy decision to make in the light heavyweight contest.

On the same bill Margate’s Jack Morris defeated Lithuanian super middleweight Egidijus Kakstys with a second round TKO, making it seven straight wins for the 29-year-old.