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Louis Greene produced a stunning first-round knockout to defeat Jack McGann on the Joshua vs Ngannou undercard.
On a huge show in Riyadh, billed by promoters as #KnockoutChaos, the man from Strood delivered as a big right hand floored his opponent.
McGann had been the bookies favourite to win Friday’s contest but Greene, 31, was always a dangerous opponent to face, with some top wins and some upsets already on his record before stepping into the limelight against the Liverpudlian.
Greene had lost to Sam Gilley in a thriller last time out and was out to make an impression.
Gilley and McGann are due to meet for the British super welterweight belt later in the year but the ‘Medway Mauler’ ensured his name deserves to be among the elite.
McGann was hoping a win over the top-50 world-ranked fighter Greene would elevate his own standings but he was dropped to the canvas with just 1:29 on the clock after the right hook.
It was a stunning way to warm up a night at the Kingdom Arena ahead of the Anthony Joshua vs Francis Ngannou showpiece event.
For Greene, he saluted his family after the win and gave a nod to friends and family back home celebrating his win.
He said: “I am confident and I train hard, I gave up work for this, I jump from job to job to fit around providing for my kids and being able to fight for a living.
“For this one, I gave up work completely and put on a show and I knew I was going to do it, I was confident all week. I’m not a betting man but my brother won a couple of grand on me because he bet this (first) round!
“I was digging holes and fitting the water mains (before the fight) with my pal George and down in the slum where we live in Medway it’s going to be rammed with the beers when I get back!
“Me and my dad have come from nothing, absolutely nothing, we come from a working class background, I was a bad kid and on my way to prison and my dad saved me and stuck by me. My dad’s a postman and my dad’s with me now, sharing all of this, and I can’t put it into words how it feels.”