Colin Kenna's dream of lifting the Prizefighter trophy evaporated at the first hurdle last night as he was stopped by Paul Butlin.

The Southampton based heavyweight seemed in control of his quarter-final bout against the bigger man from Melton Mowbray at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

But late on in the second round he got caught with a right hand which floored him and the fight, part of the new Prizefighter series which sees quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final all fought over three three minute rounds in one night, was stopped shortly afterwards.

Before the contest Kenna had been among the favourites to land the £25,000 top prize and was expected to get past Butlin.

Kenna's greater experience looked to be telling early on with the better work coming from him in the first round. Butlin never really got started and the round would almost certainly have gone to Kenna on the judge's scorecards.

Butlin got off to a flier in the second, catching Kenna with an early right to the chin but Kenna rallied and again looked composed.

He was largely able to avoid getting caught by Butlin and it seemed as the second round wore to a close that he would take that too and just have to survive the last three minutes to progress through to the semi-finals.

But Butlin dropped a dramatic right hand that landed right on the money and put Kenna down.

It looked very doubtful Kenna would make the count but he was able to continue.

However, Butlin quickly applied the pressure and chased Kenna with a flurry of punches leaving the referee no choice but to step in and stop the contest with 15 seconds remaining in the second round.

For full story see today's Daily Echo.