Havant's Kye Stevens: I'm glad final amateur MMA TKO victory didn't go all to plan

Kye Stevens claimed the Shock N Awe amateur welterweight title in November. Picture: Mat Rydzik/ Shock N Awe

The Havant welterweight’s final fight in the unpaid ranks ended with a barnstorming success over Krystian Kurzydlak at Almighty Fighting Championship 13.

Since suffering defeat on debut in November 2017, Stevens has won all six of his subsequent battles inside the first round.

His success over the previously-unbeaten Kurzydlak in York arrived in just 89 seconds.

However, Stevens, who trains at Fratton’s Gym 01, didn’t have things all his way against the Polish charge.

Kurzydlak had the former Warblington School pupil in a dangerous submission in the opening stages of the battle.

But Stevens remained calm to escape the position before finding his range with his punches to finish his opponent.

He said: ‘To be fair, the fight didn't go all my way to start with.

‘He got me in a bulldog choke within 20 seconds and I was kept in their for about 30 seconds.

‘He had the choke tight across my jawline but I was comfortable and wasn't going to tap.

‘Then I managed to get out and knocked him out straight after so I was happy.

‘As soon as I got my head out, I landed some shot and managed to get the TKO. I could tell he didn't want to strike because when I was catching him he kept covering up.

‘It didn't go to plan straight away but other than that I was happy.

‘I don't think he liked me throwing leg kicks early so he came in and grabbed me straight to the floor by my neck!

‘Without a doubt I was always comfortable. We knew he was a grappler and it was a dangerous spot to be in but in training you learn to adapt.

‘It was a case of being patient in the choke and not panicking.

‘I knew he was going to burn his arms out so he was going to have to let go.

‘I've never been in any danger like that in terms of submissions. I'm glad it went like that because I took it quite well and can adapt because I did it quite well.’

Stevens is now set to make his professional on Shock N Awe 30 inside Portsmouth Guildhall in October.

And he knows his amateur record will count for nothing when he makes the step up.

‘The pro debut now is something to look forward,’ added Stevens.

‘It's all happened in a really short space of time and managed to get a good seven fights in.

‘The amateur career couldn't have went much better. The debut loss did my the world of good.

‘But now my amateur record is all done and dusted and I'll be 0-0 again.’