It was a welcome but brief return to the sport for Whanganui expat boxer Robert 'the Butcher' Berridge with a first round knockout of Thailand's Bordin Peepueh at ABA Stadium in Auckland on Friday night.
Berridge (30-7-1) was untroubled by Peepueh (12-3), and was eager to get his torrid lefthook going from the outset.
Peepueh moved away, looking to avoid Berridge's jabs and a right uppercut, but when engaging in the middle a looping left caught him on the side of the head and sat him down.
After the standing eight count, Berridge moved in, getting a couple of body shots, before another one-punch left hand put Peepueh face-down on the canvas and referee waved the fight off after two minutes.
It was the 34-year-old Berridge's first bout since May 2017, when he lost to Singapore-based Canadian Ryan Ford for the Universal Boxing Organisation (UBO) light heavyweight title due to a stoppage for a cut.
