Dagenham Dave is boxing clever

David Starie could scarcely have wished for a more dominant return to winning ways in Dagenham.  

The Ipswich super-middleweight retained his Commonwealth boxing title by stopping Australia's Guy Waters after two minutes and four seconds of the sixth round and was in complete control from the first bell until referee Mickey Vann stopped the fight.

It was Starie's first appearance since losing a disappointing WBO title challenge against Joe Calzaghe in Manchester in January.

Starie put that world title setback behind him and took immediate control against the challenger, ranked number nine by the WBC and sixth by the IBF.

Waters never posed any threat as the 26-year-old Starie beat him to the punch and had too much lateral movement and angles for the challenger, who had previously fought three times for world championships.

The champion got home with a jab, as well as showing high confidence as Waters simply could not get going.

The ending came as no surprise, when Starie connected with a solid right and then produced a similar punch of more power to have the Australian struggling on the ropes.

Starie needed no second invitation to pile in with both fists giving referee Vann no alternative but to halt the proceedings.

Following the Calzaghe defeat, it was an important win to get Starie's career back on track. He said: "I took everything away from Waters, I had too much movement and I kept catching him with jabs.

"He had fought for three world titles and I totally demolished him. I'm now going for that world title again - I am back."