BRADFORD southpaw Dan Garber suffered a first-round stoppage last Friday in a defeat to one of the hottest prospects in heavyweight boxing.

Garber, who was paid a handsome sum to take part in the fight, admitted he was the massive underdog going into the fight against 19-year-old Moses Itauma.

He even claimed that the teenager, already, was only behind Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua in terms of talent among British heavyweights.

And while Garber accepts that Itauma was by far the better boxer on the night and would probably have finished him off inside the eight rounds anyway, the Bradfordian was aggrieved at what he felt was an earlier than necessary stoppage.

While video of the footage shows Itauma dominating and landing some hefty blows on Garber, it does not seem as if the underdog was truly on the ropes at that point.

It meant the fight lasted for less than two and a half minutes, and a frustrated Garber told the T&A: “The stoppage was a complete joke.

“Moses has stopped six lads in a row in the first round, but the others have all been flat on their backs.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Moses Itauma stalks off after brutally flooring Amine Boucetta at Wembley last September. Moses Itauma stalks off after brutally flooring Amine Boucetta at Wembley last September. (Image: PA.)

“It’s a given that Moses probably could have got me out of there at any time, but for the referee to stop it that early was a joke.

“I’m speaking to you now a few days later and there’s not a mark on me from the fight.”

Garber will look to bounce back from that bitter disappointment in his next scheduled fight, which is set to be held at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford on Saturday, May 4.

His opponent for that bout has yet to be confirmed.