Stephen Tiffney back with a bang with a second-round KO

Eastern European Kalucza (12-7) was taken aback by the pace and precision of the 28-year-old, who was boxing competitively for the first time since May.

Tiffney had been forced to withdraw from planned bouts in September and October due to a niggling shoulder injury and was also prohibited from fighting last month after his medical report failed to satisfy the British Boxing Board of Control. However, he secured his sixth consecutive win as a paid fighter, his first stoppage since his pro-debut 16 months ago, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Glasgow on Friday night with a ruthless display.

“It felt really good to get back in the ring. I’ve been out for eight months so it was great everything came together on Friday night,” Tiffney explained. “I was quite surprised how easy I was catching him at the start and I gave him a real hard first round. He was looking at me as if to say ‘come on get away from me’. He struggled to catch his breath a few times so I knew with the body shot I landed he wasn’t going to get back up.

“It’s a great way to start the new year so I’m really pleased. Kalucza was a step up for me despite the result and his record backs that up. But to finish it they way I did makes the win that wee bit sweeter.”

MGM star Tiffney now hopes to build some momentum with his next bout at Meadowbank on Saturday, March 11, now little more than six weeks away.

“I need to keep it going now,” he said. “Last year was really frustrating with the way things turned out but that’s behind me now. I was out on Saturday night with my wife for something to eat and a few drinks and I’ll take some time off over the next few days before getting back into the swing of things.”