MALMESBURY’S Joe Hughes showed why top promoter Frank Maloney has labelled him the new Ricky Hatton with a stunning first-round knockout in Essex.

His two-fisted attacks overwhelmed Gavin Putney inside two minutes on Saturday night to make it back-to-back wins as a professional for the 20-year-old Wiltshire hotshot.

Hughes emulated Hatton by the winning the ABA light-welterweight championship as an amateur and is planning to follow him to the top in the pro ranks.

Tough Sheffield brawler Jason Carr managed to take him the distance in his paid debut back in October but, after a clinical performance second time out, Hughes has yet to drop a round.

Putney had a former world champion, Graham Earl, in his corner at the Brentwood Leisure Centre, but ‘The Duke’ could offer no help to the 32-year-old from Luton in the ring.

Hughes pressed forward from the opening bell behind a high guard, looking to unload heavy-handed shots and within a minute, his opponent was floored.

Putney got up, but was soon back on the canvas after being dazed by a left hook.

Again, he beat the count, but Hughes kept the pressure on and, after a thumping body shot had him doubled over in pain, the referee signalled the finish after just one minute and 58 seconds of the fight.