In his spectacular ‘Crunch Time’ showing, he cleanly dispatched Bulgarian Georgi Georgiev with a two-minute technical knockout at York Hall.
The super-bantamweight victory came as the latest triumph in his now 12-2 professional record, and it made for a dramatic return after a year’s inactivity for the former English super-flyweight champion.
A bombardment of head and body punches left his opponent hanging on from the start, and the sharper and stronger Guernseyman simply dodged any retaliation attempts.
‘I didn’t really get hit,’ said 'Glamour Boy' Watson, having beaten a man who lasted into the third round against current world flyweight champion Charlie Edwards two years prior.
Saturday’s victory was his first under new management from Steve Goodwin.
Watson, who has two previous first-round TKOs to his name, reflected further on how the upgrade in weight classes has helped drive him forwards.
‘I know I really felt strong in the flyweights, so hopping up two weight divisions I knew I’d be even more strong,’ he said.
‘The punch power was there, and the sharpness. At 8st 2lb I didn’t really feel sharp, but at 8st 10lb it was all there – sharpness and everything.
‘That’s how I was feeling in sparring, and I woke up dead sharp. I just took it to him as soon as the first bell went and that was it.’
Noting that finding suitable opponents can be a tad tricky at his level, Watson admitted to ‘wanting the rounds’ after realising early on he was in control of the fight.
But he added: ‘You know, it’s boxing and anything can happen.’
Watson’s next bout is scheduled for 20 April at Lee Valley, Tottenham, as he builds up to contest a title later this year.
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