SHANE Steward has suffered his first loss in the boxing ring.

The twenty-one-year-old Colchester boxer was knocked out in the Novice ABA Heavyweight Finals at York Hall, Bethnal Green.

Steward came into this fight as the firm favourite to add a second major title to the one he won last year.

However, the raw punching power of the Northern Capitol club's Dafe Majemite was enough to upset the odds when he gave the Castle boxer a full count to snatch the title.

The first round had Steward hard at work scoring at will when Majemite let go with a left hook that appeared to come from the floor.

Steward took a mandatory eight count and then proceeded to pepper Majemite with fast left jabs.

The end of the first round had swung back into Steward's favour, but he now understood the heavy punching of his opponent was a real threat.

He started the second round throwing plenty of left jabs and backing his opponent up.

But halfway through the second round, the Northern boxer connected another haymaker to the exposed chin of Steward, who crumpled to the canvas unable to beat the count.