Croydon's unbeaten welter-weight prospect Chas Symonds made it seven professional wins on Friday when he knocked out Tooting's Dave Wakefield in a thrilling fight at the York Hall, Bethnal Green.

The 22-year-old from Stroud Green Way, unleashed a chilling left hook to the chin to knock Wakefield clean out in the fifth round and become the first fighter to stop him in eight bouts.

Bomber' Symonds had twice put Wakefield on the canvas with a straight right in the second round, and a left hook in the fourth as he dominated the fight.

But Wakefield, who lost to highly rated Justin Hudson by one point, always came forward and made it a real scrap. After a wild start, he got off the canvass in the second and worried Symonds with a flurry of blows.

Symonds told the Guardian: "I knew it was going to be one of my hardest fights because he's a light-middleweight coming down to welter. He was very strong and just didn't stop coming forward.

"After he took an eight count in the second, he came running at me like a mad man and caught me with a few good punches."

Despite earning the nickname Bomber in the amateur ranks, Symonds had only knocked out one of his previous six professional opponents, so was delighted to stop the durable Wakefield.

He said: "He came at me in the fifth again but I was out-boxing him. He was waiting to throw a punch when, in a split-second, I threw all my weight into a left hook to the chin and he was out."

Although not top of the bill, it was fight of the night and added to Symonds' growing reputation, as he works towards a Southern Area or British Masters title.

He has already been picked out as "one to watch" by Sky Sports pundits on their Ringside boxing magazine programme, and now he hopes promoter Eugene Maloney will secure a fight on a televised bill this year.

He said: "I am getting known slowly but I need to have television coverage. Hopefully my next fight will be on Sky in March."

The former Edenham High School pupil has a strong following in Croydon and 400 fans were there on Friday to cheer him on.

He added: "The atmosphere was amazing and I'm so grateful to my fans who came to watch and inspire me. I hope they enjoyed the show!".