GARY ‘Dynamo’ Buckland got back to winning ways on Friday night at the Newport Centre and put himself in the picture for a return to title fights in the super-featherweight division, writes Dewi Powell.

Buckland, who trains at St Joseph’s Boxing Club with Tony Borg, scored the tenth knockout of his ten-year career by halting Georgian journeyman George Gachechiladze in three rounds.

The former British champion campaigned at lightweight in 2014 but suffered disappointment in his biggest fights; a Fight of the Year rematch with Gavin Rees, a bid for the Commonwealth title and the semi-finals of the Prizefighter tournament.

The two weight categories are only separated by 5lbs but Buckland’s all-action intensity has an increased effect on opponents in the super-featherweight division and it was evident against Gachechiladze.

Referee Martin Williams was forced to wave the contest off after two minutes and 46 seconds of the round as Buckland pinned the visitor to the ropes. The 29-year-old began to overpower Gachechiladze with an array of short hooks and uppercuts that drew cheers from the crowd, which included Wales’ newly crowned world champion Lee Selby.

The ending may have appeared a premature decision at first but its unlikely Gachechiladze would have been able to muster the energy for a comeback, resulting in the 30th win of Buckland’s professional career.

Earlier on the undercard of Sanigar Events’ ‘Unleash The Dragon show’, Cefn Fforest’s Robbie Turley completed a comfortable keep-busy task by out-pointing Latvia’s Dmitrijs Gutmans over four rounds.

The Welsh and Celtic super-bantamweight champion, who trains alongside Buckland and Selby, took no risks as he won every round of his 20th professional fight and recorded his 15th victory in the process.

In December, Turley dominated Southern Area champion Jamie Speight in a British title eliminator and the current Lord Lonsdale belt holder, Liverpool’s James ‘Jazza’ Dickens, was an interested observer in the crowd at the Newport Centre.

Aberdare’s super-middleweight Morgan Jones and Pontypridd’s Kyle Jones made it four wins from four fights for St Joseph’s Boxing Club. The pair of prospects didn’t lose a round as they overcame journeymen Mark Till and Paul O’Brien, respectively, in controlled and classy displays.

The show was headlined by Cardiff’s cruiserweight Craig ‘The Kid’ Kennedy, who edged out ex-Olympian and Commonwealth Games gold medalist Courtney Fry in their British title eliminator.

Fry, who had previously been stopped by Welsh world champions Nathan Cleverly and Enzo Maccarinelli, was dropped twice in round four but survived to push the unbeaten Welshman all the way.

All three judges scored in favour of Kennedy, who was cornered by former world champion Steve Robinson, courtesy of 96-94, 95-94 and 95-93 cards.