Hartlepool light-welterweight Kevin Bennett chalked up another victory at Manchester's MEN Arena on Saturday night, halting Hungarian Zoltan Surman early in the fourth round to take his record to 13-3.

Bennett, appropriately nicknamed 'Bulldog' was making just his second appearance in the last 13 months and with the Hungarian having lost just one of his seven previous pro fights he was rightly regarded with a degree of caution.

That caution though, only lasted until around mid-way through the opening round, by which point Zoltan found himself backed up under pressure from a busy Bennett who unloaded a series of hooks to the body.

A particularly vicious right in the dying seconds left Surman grimacing.

The die seemed well and truly cast when a short right uppercut early in the second jerked back the Hungarian's head and a follow-up right to the chin brought gasps from the onlookers.

Surman raised his game a little in the third, after a rollicking from his corner team, and he managed to find the target with a few hooks of his own, but he returned to his stool at the end of the session marked under the right eye after further quality work from Bennett.

The end came just 35 seconds into the fourth round when the Hungarian picked up a nasty wound on the left eyebrow - possibly the result of a clash of heads - and referee Phil Edwards called a halt after a quick inspection by the unhappy Hungarian's corner.

The victory maintains Kevin's position in the domestic top ten at light-welter and he will now be looking towards staying busy in an effort to make up ground on the divisions pace-setters.

Meanwhile, fellow Hartlepool boxer Michael Hunter has agreed a promotional contract for leading boxing organisation Ringside.

Hunter's coach Neil Fannan has revealed the terms negotiated for the undefeated super-bantamweight.

And Fannan said: "It has been a frustrating year for Michael and he has not boxed as much or earned the sort of money he should have done.

"All we wanted for Michael was for him to be busy and he'll get that now. I am well pleased."

Hunter will make his bow as a Ringside boxer at Plymouth on July 26 when he will fight in a six or eight rounder.

The 25-year-old still possesses the WBF title and Fannan and Hunter's manager Dave Garside are aiming to line up his first defence of that crown.

Fannan said: "I think Michael will be well supported in Plymouth, quite a few are wanting to go down.

"Ringside and Sky Sports were both very pleased with how he performed in Italy and it was good to have that shown ion the TV.

"Since then everyone has been asking when he will be fighting again.

"Me and Dave had considered using him at Darlington on July 11, but then the Ringside deal came along and the contest in Plymouth followed."