By Alexey Sukachev

Second time proved to be no charm for free-swinging but limited British Italian Cello Renda (27-11-2, 12 KOs), who was stopped in the third and final round by undefeated comebacker Tom Doran (14-0, 4 KOs) with a terrific overhand left to the jaw.

Renda, who was a finalist of the very first Prizefighter Middleweight tourney in November 2008 (losing on a split decision to no other than Martin Murray), kicked off this final as he usually does - with a relentless pressure. He shook Doran a bit but the Englishman survived the onslaught and started to hit back.

In the second he rocked Renda with a major left hook to the body. Other body shots has weakened Renda's body so that he was gassed out by the end of the second stanza. Feeling it was his chance, Doran didn't let it go, dropping Renda down for the count with a major left blow to the chin midst into the third and final round. Cello Renda was
counted out at 1:16 of the round.

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In a battle of two unbeatens, the Irish luck of hard-punching Luke Keeler (8-1, 5 KOs) ended instantly when he ran into Tom Doran (13-0, 3 KOs), who cruised to a final against Cello Renda. Doran was fairly active and smooth enough to prevent raw Keeler to deal him visible damage. Doran easily took the first couple of rounds, while the Irishman was slightly better in the third. Scores were 29-28 - by all the judges and also by BoxingScene.com to a mild displeasure of Keeler.

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... And activity matters. Being by far less precise of the two, veteran Cello Renda (27-10-2, 12 KOs) threw twice more punches than previously undefeated Jack Arnfield (18-1, 4 KOs) to earn a split decision en route to his second Prizefighter final.

Renda was as crude, raw and limited as he always was. Arnfield was smooth but he was overpowered and out punched. He landed more clean shots to raise Q-marks at the end of the fight, thought the  third rounds was all Renda'. Scores were: 29-28 (x2) - for Renda, and 28-29 - for Arnfield, and BoxingScene had it 29-8 - also for Renda.

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Fighting for the second time since May 2011, Tom Doran, who was a part
of one of 2011 better rounds of the year (against Max Maxwell),
cruised to the semifinal number 2 on the strength of a knockdown he
produced against previously undefeated Craig Cunningham (now 11-1, 2
KOs) in the first round.

Cunningham also lost the second stanza but did better in the third,
edging Doran at the end. It didn't matter though, as scores were set
in favour of fellow undefeated boxer (12-0, 3 KOs): 30-26 and 29-27
(twice). BoxingScene has also scored it 29-27 - for Doran.

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Hard-punching Irishman Luke Keeler (8-0, 5 KOs) survived some rocky moments in the second round of his fight with once-defeated Luke Crowcroft (8-2, 2 KOs) but overcame them to snatch a unanimous decision in the third quarterfinal.

Keeler looked better in the first with well-placed uppercuts that shook 20-year old Crowcroft. The latter boxed more on his back foot in the second and had some mild success but Keeler came back with vengeance and activity to shut Crowcroft in the third. Scores were: 29-28 - across the boards, and BoxingScene was in agreement.

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In the second quarterfinal, a fighter with the best record of all the contestants - Jack Arnfield (now 18-0, 4 KOs) - just barely squeaked past fellow undefeated Mick Hall (11-0, 1 KO). After an even fist round, although possibly edged by Hall on a better precision, the latter improved his game in the second, rocking Arnfield a couple of times with hard overhand rights and sudden left uppercuts. Arnfield, fighting for the first time in more than a year, looked better in the third. Scores were: 30-27, 29-28 - for Arnfield, and 28-29 - for Hall. BoxingScene was in agreement with the latter scorecard.

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In the opener of Prizefighter Middleweight III Series at Winter Gardens in Blackpool, UK, hard-nosed veteran Cello Renda (26-10-2, 11 KOs) used just a minute and a half to completely demolish fellow contestant Liam Conroy (7-3, 2 KOs). Conroy, who has previously lost to 1-4 and 17-47-3 fighters, was down three times. Renda is through to
the semifinal.