WORLD Championship bronze medallist Bradley Saunders made a stunning return to top-level competition with a first-round knockout of Latvia's Marek Gabris at the EU Championships in Odense.
Fighting in a major tournament for the first time since his second-round loss to Alexis Vastine at the Beijing Olympics, Saunders decked Gabris twice to score a conclusive victory.
Saunders said: "I felt really good in there and I havent been beaten yet this year which gives me loads of confidence. Stopping the kid in the first round is also a great boost at this level."
In the next round Saunders will face his long-time sparring partner and fellow Great Britain squad member Lewis Rees after the Welshman stopped Turkey's Ibrahim Bostanci in the second round.
Reigning European champion Luke Campbell eased past Frenchman Brahim Zendaoui at bantamweight, while there was another first-round win for Obed Mbwakongo, who stopped Krzysztof Sadlon of Poland at light-heavy.
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