What a way to make your debut for your new employers.
Savannah Marshall clinched her first victory for Matchroom and Sky Sports with a fifth-round stoppage of Daniele Bastieri at the O2 in London.
The Hartlepool boxer felled the girl from Brazil in the dying seconds of round five and while Bastieri got back on her feet, she was very unsteady and referee Bob Williams, correctly, called a halt right on the bell.
It was an exciting opening to the Sky Sports Box Office broadcast and some start from the 28-year-old.
Bastieri, whose two previous bouts had produced two stoppage wins, started brightly enough and even smiled as the ‘Silent Assassin’ landed a right to the head.
Marshall chose to move nicely in the first, flicking out her jab as she surveyed the capital assignment.
There was more intensity in round two from Marshall and three rights straight down the middle found their mark and were a taste of things to come.
Bastieri started round three with a bit of ambition, only to be jolted by a right-left combination to the head by Savannah who then connected with a straight right.
Marshall added more pressure in the fourth and, tellingly, more rights and it looked a case of when, rather than if, the Peter Fury-trained super-middleweight would get the job done.
It came in round five of eight. A series of rights forced Daniele back with a short right to the head putting the 29-year-old on the seat of her pants.
She was up by the count of five but, just as the bell sounded, the referee judged she was in no position to continue and waved it off.
Words Roy Kelly Picture: Dave Thompson/ Matchroom
