Spike O’Sullivan settles Fitzgerald grudge with sensational first round stoppage

IT took five years to make but just 75 seconds to finish.

Gary ‘Spike’ O’Sullivan shocked the 3Arena ending a fight most predicted would be a gruelling distance grudge match within a round.

To say the Cork middleweight out performed the likes of World title challenger Andy Lee and former World champion Hassan N’Dam by stopping respected tough man Fitzgerald is somewhat of an understatement. Not since Kiko Martinez blitzed Bernard Dunne in 2006 has the Point been so stunned, as ‘Spike’ did in 75 seconds what some top names couldn’t.

‘Spike’ cut a relaxed figure coming into the ring, smiling as the Fitzgerald support booed. Fitzgerald marched in pumped ready for the war he promised.

 As the Dub addressed his support, O’Sullivan body checked him displaying the bad and tension that made this fight so appealing.

‘Spike’ carried the confidence he displayed pre fight past the first bell. He started with his hands by his sides and threw bombs from the hip.

He landed an uppercut early and tried to bully the his fellow former Irish champion. There was a confidence an arrogance about the Pascal Collins trained puncher and we were soon to see why.

A left hook forced Fitzgerald to dip and he ducked straight onto an uppercut. A fighter that rarely looks hurt and trades on guts hit the deck and couldn’t recover before Mickey Vann counted to 10.

A fight that was meant to play out over 12 hard rounds was done in one, and post fight the tension that built up over five years disappeared as the middleweights embraced.