IT was another anti-climax at the Wray & Nephew Contender Boxing series as Ricardo Planter bombed his way to a 29-second knockout of Allan Cann in a preliminary-round eliminator at the Chinese Benevolent Association on Wednesday night.

Planter, who replaced Dean Palmer in the final 16 fighters and representing Hard Knocks Gym while fighting on the Yellow team, was clinical in his approach and finished off the debutant before he even realised that he was in a boxing contest.

Normally a slow starter, but not knowing the potential of Cann, Planter was early on the offensive. Cann, too, was probing in his approach and surprised Planter with a right that found its mark. This spurred Planter into retaliatory action and he landed a swift left to the face of Cann after a few seconds into the round, which had the Green Team fighter back-pedalling and by Cann’s own admission “the fight was pretty much over from that moment”.

Visibly shaken from that moment, Cann looked uncertain as he was left with a puzzled countenance as to what would be his next move. While Cann was thinking of how to get out of his predicament, Planter, the experienced journeyman, moved in for the kill. Following a series of unanswered punches it was a powerful right which Cann caught flush on the button that finished him off. And although Cann did not hit the canvas ,for the quick intervention of referee Barrington Graham to prevent further punishment, he was out cold on his feet to bring another swift end to the third-straight night of anti-climax at the Contender fights.

With the fight ending so abruptly, more attention was focused on next week’s clash between Devon Moncrieff and Miguel Ray, according to trainer Carl Grant: “We deliberately made that fight the last of the preliminary rounds as we wanted everybody to come and watch it.”