Eric Donovan went out on his own shield but came up short against Zelfa Barrett in their super featherweight clash tonight.
The referee stopped the contest in the eight round after Barrett knocked Donovan to the canvas with a thunderous left hook.
It was the third time Donovan had been knocked down in the fight as the power of his bigger opponent told late on.
But it was 35-year-old Donovan, in the biggest fight of his career, that started the fight the stronger on the Fight Camp card in Essex.
The Athy-born man showed all his boxing ability to land a series of combos on Barrett that had the Mancunian, 27, on the ropes at various stages.
It was the younger man who finished the stronger though as Barrett landed a series of big shots to the head of Donovan who took them bravely and kept coming forward until the encounter was stopped.
