By John Hannen and Stephen Hurst

In a case of ‘no place like home’, Sedgefield’s Bradley Saunders made a successful first appearance in the North East as a pro, with a TKO of Hungary’s Gyorgy Mizsei Jnr at Gateshead Leisure Centre on Friday night.

Scheduled for eight rounds, the 2008 Olympian had proceedings under control from the first bell, working patiently behind a left lead and throwing in the occasional backhand.

As it wore on, the unbeaten light-welterweight began to turn up the gas before eventually overwhelming his taller foe from Budapest in the fourth.

With plenty of body to aim for, a well-placed left hook had Mizsei grimacing and down for a count of eight, before another midriff shot soon had him over again.

Allowed to continue, the Eastern European was quickly backed into a corner and assaulted with another body attack that saw him drop to the canvas for the last time. Referee Mark Curry deemed enough was enough, and waved it off with a minute of the round having elapsed.

Well-supported Saunders was untroubled for much of the contest, with Mizsei landing the jab just enough to remind him he was in a fight.

Having his eighth pro outing, and having already finished five previous opponents early, it was almost inevitable the heavy-handed former Commonwealth Games silver medallist would continue his excellent run of form, and the passionate home crowd was delighted with his showing.

Mizsei had won 16 of 23 contests against largely unknown opposition previously, and Saunders knows he will face much stiffer tests ahead.  But for now, the 27-year-old is learning his trade as a paid fighter, and will be looking forward to more Tyneside glory nights in the future.

Guisborough welterweight Josh Leather also got an early night against a Hungarian fighter after knocking out Renato Toth in the fourth, and final, round of their duel.

Having his second pro fight, welterweight Leather knocked back Toth’s head with jabs before a big right hand sent him over for a count.

Up on unsteady legs, another right sent the visitor down heavily, with the contest halted at 2mins 34secs.

Sunderland light-heavyweight Jordan King also made it two out of two as a pro, beating Plymouth’s Angelo Crowe over four rounds.

Crowe was spirited and threw some bombs, but king was the better man and won every round. King landed some hefty rights over the top and almost finished the south coast man in the third, but he managed to hang on to hear the final bell.

Hartlepool light-welterweight Callum Winton started well but let Yorkshire's Yousseff Al Hamidi back into their four-rounder before edging it 39-38. Callum is now unbeaten in four, with one draw.

Stoke’s Mark Till gave Newcastle’s Craig Nicholson a decent argument in the show opener before the Geordie, now four unbeaten, was awarded a 39-38 victory.

Gateshead’s Robert Dixon made it to ten unbeaten, after having too much for Glasgow’s Craig Kelly over six rounds in a 60-55 win.

Also appearing on the joint Wraith Promotions and Queensberry Promotions card was Welshman Rhys Evans, who outpointed Wiltshire's Dan Carr over four rounds.