Honeyghan Sets Record With 40-Second Knockout

World welterweight champion Lloyd Honeyghan of Britain stunned challenger Gene Hatcher of the United States Sunday at Marbella, Spain, knocking him out 40 seconds into their scheduled 12-round fight to retain his World Boxing Council and International Boxing Federation titles and record the fastest knockout ever in a world title fight.

The British and U.S. national anthems were barely over in the Marbella bullring when the Jamaica-born Honeyghan removed his red matador’s cape and threw an overhead right and a couple of lefts to send Hatcher to the canvas.

“The first punch was one of the best I’ve ever thrown,” the 27-year-old champion said. “That first punch could have knocked anyone out.”

The 40-second knockout breaks the previous record of 52 seconds by Sugar Ray Robinson in his middleweight title defense against Jose Barosa on Aug. 25, 1950.

Honeyghan said he thought he could have seriously hurt the 28-year-old fighter from Fort Worth, who remained on the canvas for several minutes before getting up with the help of paramedics.

Honeyghan’s record improved to 31-0 with 20 knockouts. Hatcher, ranked No. 9 by the WBC, is 27-5. Hatcher had never been knocked out in his professional career.