Feargal McCrory (16-0, 8 KOs) defeated Carlos Carlson (25-8, 16 KOs) by third-round technical knockout in the co-main event of Friday's Callum Walsh-Dauren Yeleussinov card at the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City.
Ireland's McCrory earned the WBA Continental Americas super featherweight title with the win.
McCrory dropped Carlson in the third with a vicious left to the body that forced Carlson to crumple to the canvas. Carlson made it to his feet, grimacing from the pain, and went to the ropes with his elbows glued to his sides to avoid further body punishment. McCrory flurried, attempting to finish, and referee David Fields waved off the bout shortly thereafter.
The stoppage was perhaps rushed a bit, with Carlson not having taken another telling blow after the knockdown. But with McCrory dropping and swarming him, there shouldn't be much argument.
Much of the fight took place on the inside, with McCrory frequently pushing and wrestling with Carlson during exchanges. Both landed their share of shots on their opponent’s face, but McCrory seemed to always get the better of it, finding clean shots from the first round on.
Still, the ending was sudden. Carlson had previously appeared slightly, but not overwhelmingly, outmatched. That, however, is the power of the body shot – or at least McCrory's. The decisive blow was a peach – a left hook to the liver that landed as squarely as anything can.
Asked after the fight if he thought he had made the statement he sought to, McCrory, who had many supporters in the audience on St. Patrick's Day weekend, turned to the crowd.
“What do yous think?” he said.
The 130-pound division has several names near the top that McCrory presumably has his eye on. He declined to point out any of them specifically in his postfight interview, but if he maintains the level he showed in this fight, we’ll likely find out soon enough how he'll fare against better opposition.
