Stourbridge's Sam Eggington 'back with a vengeance' after brutal knockout on debut dinner show

The Stourbridge fighter recovered from losing his IBO super welterweight crown last time out with a fourth-round stoppage of James McCarthy on Thursday.

Eggington topped the bill on The Excelsior Sporting Club's first ever event, which has been founded by Bar Sport owner Scott Murray.

"It was an excellent show, I'm really pleased," he said.

"We've had fabulous feedback from the customers, which is important, but more so the fights were exceptional.

"Lewis Howells had a tight fight but won on points. Nyall Berry fought and looked strong against a tough kid.

"Walsall's Niall Farrell shone on his pro debut, he's an amazing fighter and I think he'll go places.

"And Sam was back with a vengeance. It was a brutal knockout. He looked so relaxed, fast and sharp – better than I've seen him in the last year or so. He was very impressive.

"He put the kid down in the second round with a body shot, but that left hook he caught him with in the fourth round was brutal. Sam looked out of this world. He's back."

Legendary American fighter Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini was part of the hosting team, alongside former Telford professional Richie Woodhall and broadcaster Steve Bunce.

Mancini told the Express & Star: "Scott did it right. I love the old school feel, with the tuxedo dinner and a proper fight show.

"It's a throwback and was very successful because the fights were all very competitive. The people seem to love it, the fighters put their heart into it and they were very good fights.

"All you want is competitive fights. It was a huge success and I'm looking forward to doing more with Scott. It had a certain elegance and class that I haven't seen back in America for some time.

"The UK has some of the best fight fans in the world. England has had so many great champions and top contenders, and the fans love their fights."

After hosting the first show at Murray's Cannock venue, he now has plans for even bigger events in the future.

Murray added: "We're doing a couple more shows at our venue in Cannock and then we'll expand it and take it nationwide.

"We'll do a couple shows in Birmingham and then in London at the start of the New Year.

"It will allow us to do some bigger shows and possibly some title fights. We want to take it to another stage.

"All thanks to Jon Pegg for the matchmaking and of course Ray Mancini, Steve Bunce and Richie Woodhall for hosting the show – you won't get a dinner show much better than that.

"A lot of work goes into setting it all up and I thought it was a huge success. Ray will come over for all the other shows as well.

"It went as planned as we've even had thanks from the British Boxing Board of Control and congratulations on such a good show."