THINGS didn’t go quite to plan for Dubliner Luke Keeler in Liverpool on Saturday night, but the boxer may take some comfort from the positive response to his barnstorming fight with Welsh rival Tom Doran.
The pair were meeting for the second time, but Keeler was unfortunately unable to avenge his 2015 Prizefighter defeat to Doran after being stopped inside two rounds as he searched for redemption.
However, despite another loss to his foe, Keeler came away from the ring with his head held high, flooring Doran first in four explosive minutes of action.
This is the greatest 2 round fight EVER seen in a British ring an goes into top 10 best first rounds ever seen imo
— Tony Bellew (@TonyBellew) April 3, 2016
To his credit, the Welshman responded well to Keeler’s aggressive start, returning the favour by flooring the Irishman with two clinical lefts, before picking up where he left off at the beginning of the second round.
A left hook from Doran but Keeler down again early in the second round, at which stage trainer Pascal Collins threw in the towel from the Irish corner, seeing that his man was in serious trouble.
Although the outcome was disappointing from an Irish perspective, Keeler was subsequently hailed for his heroic effort, with former light heavyweight contender Tony Bellew calling it “the greatest two-round fight ever seen in a British ring”.
