GWENT trio Craig Evans, Kody Davies and Lance Cooksey all tasted success at the Vale Sports Arena near Cardiff on Friday night, but there was disappointment for Newport’s Sean McGoldrick.

The Commonwealth Games champion said he was “absolutely gutted” not to be able to fight after his Nicaraguan opponent got held up by immigration officials at Bristol Airport.

Cristian Narvaez’s withdrawal from the contest at the 11th hour left McGoldrick’s hopes of an eighth straight professional victory in tatters.

Barry’s Maredudd Thomas also saw his clash with opposition from the same central American country pulled for the same reason.

Nevertheless, the MTK Global show went on, and Davies and Cooksey maintained their unblemished records in the paid code – and the two both registered quick finishes.

St Joseph’s’ Cooksey ended his super-lightweight showdown with Devon’s Jamie Speight the faster, taking just inside 60 seconds to get the job done.

Cooksey began with a crisp right hand and then unleashed a combination before a big left and further onslaught that prompted the referee to step in.

A first stoppage success for Cooksey came in front of a raucous contingent of supporters who could see their man involved in much bigger fights just around the corner.

Like Cooksey, Davies was chasing a seventh straight triumph, although he went into his light-heavyweight encounter against journeyman Jevgenijs Andrejevs with America on the horizon.

Davies, who has been added to a show in California on September 30, left nothing to chance against his 37-year-old Latvian opponent.

Perhaps the only real surprise was that it took the Pontllanfraith puncher until round two to get him out of there.

After seven months out of the ring, Blackwood’s Evans shook off some ring rust to beat Jordan Ellison for the second time in his career.

Former WBO European champion Evans won the super-lightweight contest 60-55 on points, in what was his first fight under new trainer Gavin Rees.

There were also wins for Liam Williams, Jermaine Asare, JJ Evans, Jacob Robinson.