John Joe Nevin back with a bang

London 2012 silver medalist John Joe Nevin believes Floyd Mayweather wouldn't have got off the floor from the punch that sealed his comeback win at the Ring of Dreams Gym in North Carolina on Saturday night.

Nevin knocked out North Carolina’s Calvin Stifford 86 seconds into the first round in his first fight back since having his two legs broken in an horrific assault near his home in Mullingar last April.

Stifford, who was making his pro debut, was dropped by Nevin, who fights out of Tom Moran’s GreenBlood stable in Philadelphia, inside the first minute. The American was then counted out after walking into a massive right hook from the former AIBA World number one bantam.

Unbeaten Irish light welter and light-heavy Tyrone McKenna and Ray Ginley completed a GreenBlood hat-trick with second round stoppages of Anthony Dave and Quincy Minor in North Carolina.

Nevin, who improves to two wins from two after Saturday’s win, is planning to have another fight before Christmas, and is thrilled to be back.

“I don’t think that Floyd Mayweather would have got back up after that shot, bang, straight on the chin, clean into next week,” said nevin. “After what happened, today is right up there with the Olympics; best feeling of my life. It’s great to be back. People may not know how much this means to me after what happened.

“I appreciated every minute of this; the training, the sparring, the weigh-ins, everything. It’s been a very difficult few months, but I have come through it. I cherish all the more after what happened, I told you my dream was to win an Olympic medal and a world title. I’ve achieved one of those ambitions and I will achieve the other.

“I may fight again before Christmas, maybe twice, we’ll see. Right now I’m just delighted to have my second win.”