Ricardo Franco is defeated on bareknuckle debut in the USA

The Gainsborough fighter headed to Mississippi to take on Lowrant-T Nelson – and looked to be on course for a quick win.

Franco gave the American a boxing lesson for much of the opening round and sent him lurching into the ropes with a crisp three-punch combination.

Franco expected the referee to give Nelson a count and headed to a neutral corner.

The referee said the fight should continue and Nelson was able to get through the crisis and find the punch that turned the fight his way.

Franco had barely taken a clean punch until the dying seconds of the round when Nelson found his chin with a left and he went down.

The bell came to Franco’s rescue but he was still dazed when the second round started and the heavy-handed Nelson landed clean punches that sent him down twice more and it was waved off.