PONTYPOOL light-welterweight Tony Doherty came through his first international contest with flying colours when he stopped experienced Frenchman Emmanuel Fleury in two rounds at Bridgend Recreation Centre last night, writes Paul Tully.

Doherty, now winner of all thirteen professional contests, caught Fleury with a left hook to the body followed by an even better left hook to the head to drop his rival and force referee Wynford Jones to call a halt after two minutes 38 seconds of the round.

Fleury, twice beaten in French welterweight championship fights, was put down by Doherty in the first round.

The 21-year-old, one of the brightest prospects in the country, caught him with a couple of rights over the top to Fleury's head before a right to the body and a left hook dropped him for a mandatory eight count just before the bell to end the round sounded.

But the ungainly Frenchman never looked in Doherty's class and what few punches he threw were powder-puff and took too long to wind up.

"We want an area title fight or an inter-continental fight next and maybe something bigger later in the year," said Doherty's trainer Brian Hughes.

"Believe me, you haven't seen the best of this Welshman yet."

Doherty, who had sold over 200 tickets for the fight, mostly to his large extended family, admitted he had not boxed at his best despite a quick finish.

"I was not very happy. I was too eager to please the crowd. When I do that I do not produce my best," Doherty said.

"But it was my first international contest. I wanted my fans to go home happy, and I think they will but I didn't really show my skill.

"I knew as soon as I stepped into the ring that I would win quickly because of his style and perhaps that's why I was not as composed as I should have been, but that's something I hope to overcome with experience."