EDDIE HEARN expects Geordie lightweight Lewis Ritson to be challenging for World titles at a sold-out St James’ Park in the not-too-distant future after he delivered another devastating display of punching power on Saturday night, writes Peter Mann.

Ritson claimed the Lonsdale Belt outright as he beat Paul Hyland Jnr inside the opening round to successfully defend the British Lightweight title for the third time.

The 24-year-old floored Hyland three times in the opening round to record his tenth knock-out success from his 16 fights as a professional fighter, and his promoter, Hearn, is beginning to think big.

“He’s won the British title in four rounds in three defences,” said Hearn. “We don’t know where this story ends. He doesn’t know what he has got, but I haven’t heard an atmosphere like that for a long time. European titles, World titles, we dream big. There’s a lot of work to do, but we are going to give it 100 per cent.”

Hyland Jnr might have started off with the intention of taking the fight to ‘the Sandman’, but he was caught in the opening exchanges and found himself on the canvas on three separate occasions as Ritson unleashed a barrage of big rights.

“I didn’t expect that, the atmosphere,” said Ritson. “I knew I had to keep a cool head and the team and I always thought that we could do it, now I’ve just got keep performing.”

Sunderland’s Josh Kelly delivered an equally impressive display, and in just seven outings as a pro, ‘Pretty Boy’ has blasted his way to the WBA International and Commonwealth Welterweight titles.

He took a little longer to finish things than Ritson, with his Australian opponent, Kris George, retiring on his stool at the end of the seventh.

George came to fight, stifling Kelly in the early exchanges as the Rio Olympian looked to find his range, but the Wearsider’s duck-and-move routine and very fast hands eventually saw him seize control.

Kelly pushed on after the fifth, and if George had come out for the eighth, the contest would almost certainly not have lasted much longer. Nevertheless, Kelly was slightly critical of his display.

“I did get caught with a few cheap shots and because of me, not him (George),” he said. “I took his distance away and kept it simple though. He said it was his hands that went but I think his heart went as well.”

Hearn added: “He’s breezing through, he’s special. Adam (Booth) has massive belief in Josh and I trust his judgement. We just feel like it’s going to keep going and it’s very exciting to see. His levels will come but it’s like, where will it stop?”

A number of other North-East fighters appeared on the undercard of the bill, with Spennymoor’s Chad Ellis and Bedlington’s Darren Reay opening the show with victories that maintained their unbeaten start to life in the paid ranks.

Newcastle’s Lawrence Osueke and Sunderland’s Glenn Foot also claimed points successes, but there were defeats for Darlington’s Stuart Hall, who lost to WBC International Super-Bantamweight champion Gavin McDonnell, and Anthony Nelson. Teessider Simon Vallily was judged to have drawn with Arfan Iqbal as the pair contested the English Cruiserweight title.