IMAGE GALLERY: Knock Out for O'Connor in First Round

Framingham boxer Danny O’Connor registered his 25th victory and 9th knockout Friday night before a sold out crowd at Memorial Hall in Melrose.

O’Connor knocked out Michael Clark of Columbus Ohio in about a minute, in what was supposed to be a 10-round welterweight fight.

The referee called Clark out at 1:15 in the first round, after O’Connor had hit Clark with a hard right to the jaw.

O’Connor was in control of the fight, pounded Clark with punch after punch into the ropes, before the final blow that had Clark tumble to the mat.

O’Connor, 30, is now 25-2, with nine knockouts. He knocked out boxer Andrew Farmer in the fourth round in the first Memorial Hall fight, sponsored by Murphys Boxing, in Plymouth in October.

Clark had a record of 44-12-1, with 18 KOs before O’Connor took care of him in 75 seconds.

Next up for O’Connor, is an fight on May 23 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena. He is on the card for an NBC-televised fight between middleweights Andre Dirrell and James DeGale.

O’Connor’s opponent has not been named.

O’Connor, who is managed by Murphys Boxing, which is owned by Dropkick Murphys singer Ken Casey.

Casey said before O’Connor’s victory Friday night “Danny is like family.”

“We are proud to be a part of his fights,” said Casey. “All that Danny has done in his boxing career, to see him on the verge of getting a world title shot is exciting stuff.”

Photo Credit: Susan Petroni/Petroni Media Company. View more than 40 photos from the fight by clicking the link below.