Crushing body shot helps Kildare boxer Phelan get back to winning ways as he stops Polish opponent

A brilliant shot to the body helped Kildare boxer Allan Phelan get back to winning ways at the National Stadium on Saturday night as he recorded a fifth round knockout win over Polish fighter Krzysztof Rogowski.

Having suffered defeat in his last fight in July, Phelan needed a win to get his career back on the upward trajectory it had been taking since his return from Canada in 2016. His opponent was hardly one of any considerable note - 36-year-old Rogowski has now lost 12 of his last 13 fights - but Phelan will be pleased to increase his own record to 8-3-1.

From the beginning of the first round it was clear that Phelan was the classier boxer of the pair, counter-punching well and generally keeping his own chin clean as Rogowski applied some early pressure. Phelan maintained dominance of rounds two, three and four before he changed strategy in the fifth and went exclusively for the body of his opponent.

Rogowski offered little protection to his midriff as the 25-year-old consistently landed a combination of left and right hooks and uppercuts. The Pole began to throw wild swings in retaliation, and though one or two of those made a connection, it was clear that Rogowski's gameplan had gone out the window. He was penalised in the fifth round for striking the back of Phelan's head as they tangled in the middle of the ring, and it wasn't long before Phelan struck a superb left to his opponent's body to send him to the canvas.

Rogowski attempted to regain his standing, but the referee stepped in to end the contest a round early and declare Phelan as the winner.