Frankie Gavin has warned the welterweights of Britain that the fully-dedicated version of himself has finally arrived.
The nimble-footed Brummie southpaw [pictured throwing a left against Graham Fearn in 2009] made a statement by dismissing former British welterweight champion Kevin McIntyre in just over eight minutes in Cardiff last night [February 25].
The all-portsider eight-rounder, broadcast live on the undercard of Nathan Cleverley's shut-out WBO world light-heavyweight title defence on a Frank Warren-promoted, BoxNation-televised bill, was Gavin's first since a harder-than-anticipated 12-rounder with footballer-turned-boxer Curtis Woodhouse, who pushed him to a split decision, in June.
Since then, the 26-year-old Second City stylist has overhauled his lifestyle and training personnel. Now living with his mum in his home city, Frankie has changed trainers twice [Anthony Farnell and Jimmy Tibbs] and is now back with his former amateur coach, Hall Green ABC's Tom Chaney.
And last night's controlled dismantling of a former domestic king from Scotland, 33, who's last defeat was to former WBC world champion Junior Witter looked more like the quick-footed, blur-fisted Gavin of old - the impossible-to-hit stylist who so impressively became World Amateur champion in Chicago five years ago.
Gliding effortlessly in out and of range and switching from body to head and back again, Frankie always looked comfortable. By the second the West Midlander was rattling in rapid right-left one-twos, thumping in left hooks to the body and nimbly avoiding the rare swinging attacks of the Paisley postman.
After leading-off with right uppercuts in the opening frames of the third, fluid Gavin lifted his opponent's guard with a neatly-threaded uppercut before adeptly switching the attack downstairs and sinking McIntyre, who drops to 30-9 (9), onto his knees and then all-fours with a rib-rattling right.
McIntyre has been sunk with body shots before - and decked in the opening three minutes in his last two entering the Gavin contest - and the agony etched upon his face meant he never looked as though he'd beat the count tolled over him by Welsh referee Winford Jones, who waived the scheduled 24-minute bout off at 2-22 of the third.
Both were 10st 7lbs at the Friday weigh-in and the victor was pleased with his night's work. "I've had my problems but i'm back and thought i put in a decent showing," said the Yardley-based Birmingham City supporter, who had to enter the ring with the knowledge that his beloved side has lost their season-long unbeaten home record to Nottingham Forest [2-1] earlier that day.
"I was patient but i could feel him start to weaken from body shots as soon as i started to land them. He made noise whenever i thumped them home and knew at the end of the second i could finish it when i wanted.
"I'm only going to keep getting better and better with every camp," soon-to-be father Gavin, 12-0 (9) and who's likely to box again in six weeks, continued. "If you thought this was a decent performance, just wait until my second and third camp with Tom. I know there's so much more to come.
"This is the new Frankie Gavin," he roared.
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