ABERCARN tree surgeon Jamie Way stole the show at the Newport Centre on Friday night, producing a performance of real ferocity in winning the International Masters title in a stellar main event against Ali Wyatt.

The 26-year old had never been beyond six rounds in his unbeaten run of eight fights since turning pro, but in the absence of injured scheduled main-eventer Jamie Arthur, Way suggested he is at home on the big stage over ten gruelling rounds.

Wyatt had beaten Way in the amateur ranks but the Tony Borg-trained fighter was a revelation fighting at light welterweight, producing 30 minutes of sustained and controlled aggression.

Always on the front foot, always compact and ready to throw with either hand, Way picked his shots beautifully as he dictated the pace and style of his duel with the Iranian.

Whether or not Way has the power to find his way onto the British or Commonwealth title scene remains to be seen, but he certainly put in the performance of a lifetime on Friday.

Way received a last-gasp call to stand in for the injured George Hilyard on Sky Sports show Prizefighter, but rightly honoured his commitment to headline the Sanigar-promoted show who had already lost prized talent Arthur to a broken finger.

Arthur, was, however, in attendance, sitting at ringside providing colour commentary for television with four fights on the card being broadcast in Dubai.

The pick of these was Way’s victory and he impressed by maintaining an enviable pace throughout. Way also follows instructions superbly, every request from trainer Borg was adhered to within seconds, a rare ability.

Way kept Wyatt at a distance and wobbled him in round two with a three shot combination of brutal body shots, before three right hands in the sixth saw Wyatt double over in pain. Wyatt won five of the first six rounds and took a share of the fourth, maintaining his intensity right up until the final bell to take a massive points decision from referee Wynford Jones, who scored it perfectly in a massive 100-91 verdict to Way.

Wyatt ended proceedings a bloody mess, a shallow left overhand from Way cutting his opponent just above his right eye.

“I am thrilled to have won, disappointed not to have done so by stoppage, but it was my best performance yet, wasn’t it?” Way said afterwards..

“I felt really strong and maintained my plan all the way through, it was a great night for me, really special.”

It was a performance that will have impressed ringside spectators Bradley Pryce, Gavin Rees and Mo Nasir.

Indeed, with such a dearth of action for the famed Calzaghe stable in 2008, it was great to see a better than usual attendance at the Newport Centre for another strong card.

Newport bantamweight Matthew Edmonds had few problems against Romanian Georghe Ghiompirica in the second bout of the night and first televised fight.

The six-rounder wasn’t Edmonds’ best against a fighter who was game but extremely haphazard, though Edmonds maintained good control of his jab and was never in danger in an emphatic points victory.

“I enjoyed it, it could have been better but I controlled the fight and it was a good learning one,” Edmonds reflected.

Light heavyweight and St Joe’s fighter Justyn Hugh made it 2-0 with a comfortable if flat victory over Pole Michael Banbula.

Hugh’s debut against Pawel Trebinski in July was an engaging toe-to-toe affair, but Banbula never allowed Hugh into a brawl with a frustrating spoiling display.

The six two-minute rounds were by no means the best of the night, but Hugh was good value for his 60-55 victory.

“It was difficult to land my shots, but his style was awkward and I take something from that,” Hugh said.

In the other contest to feature a Gwent fighter – with Gary Buckland lined up elsewhere and Robbie James and Jamie Arthur injured – Cefn Fforest feather Rob Turley produced another win to delight the large ‘Turl army’.

Turley didn’t wobble Birmingham’s Syd Razak in his first contest with rounds of three rather than two minutes, but utterly controlled his opponent with his usual impressive footwork.

In round two Turley forced through a couple of stinging right jabs and he double-jabbed effectively throughout in a performance that he described as, “a very pleasing fight that shows I can step it up to six three-minute rounds next time”.

Turley was supported by good friend and Common-wealth champion Nathan Cleverly, who strangely wasn’t introduced to the crowd.

Newport’s Paul Samuels suffered rotten luck with scheduled opponent Mark Phillips, brother of Wales rugby star Mike pulling out and further replacement Ernie Smith becoming double-booked.

Samuels did perform, though, doing four rounds as an exhibition with nephew Jason, who performed admirably.

Barry prospect and St Joe’s fighter Lee Selby made it 2-0 with a decent shut-out points win over veteran Peter Buckley.

Buckley was amazingly fighting in his 299th contest and he hasn’t been stopped in six years, Pryce the last man to do so.

In the other two contests of the night, Dubai welterweight and Sanigar fighter Eisa Al Dah squeezed past the grizzled Karl Taylor 58-57 over six, and Daniel Roberts from Bristol overwhelmed James Tucker at light heavyweight.