Dy-molition Man

Filipino puncher Rolando Dy floored five-time world champion Scott McHugh of England four times en route to a resounding third-round knockout to retain his World Bare Knuckle Boxing super-welterweight championship on Saturday night (early Sunday morning in Manila) in Newcastle, England.

Dy, son of former World Boxing Council super-featherweight champion Rolando Navarrete, got the job done after sending McHugh crashing to the deck with a solid left hook to the jaw.

Referee Clive Allison called a halt to the scheduled six-rounder with McHugh barely beating the ten-count.

At first, McHugh protested the decision by the third man to pull the plug but it was obvious that he would have been subjected to unnecessary punishment if he had been allowed to continue fighting.

Dy, 35, had scored three knockdowns in the second round with McHugh, 34, sustaining heavy damage each time.

It was Dy’s second successful defense of the crown following his two-round demolition of former world boxing champion Paulie Malignagi last May in Manchester when he risked it for the very first time.

The victory over McHugh was rather easy.

Dy didn’t look as though he had been in a fight following the conclusion of the brawl with McHugh.

He was unmarked and the only meaningful punch that landed on him was a sneaky right from McHugh just before Dy delivered three knockdowns.

McHugh, who had a three-inch advantage in height at 5-10, came into the Dy clash with glowing credentials.

He was a pioneer of bare knuckle fighting and in 2024, McHugh was inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The loss dropped McHugh’s record to 16-6 with six knockouts while the victory ramped up Dy’s card to 7-1 with six knockouts.

In an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post several years ago, McHugh expressed his inclination towards aggression and violence in competition, saying “boxing isn’t violent enough for me.”

“You don’t get hurt enough in boxing and I like a bit of a challenge,” he added.

What Dy just did to him supports that bold claim.