Antoine Douglas vs. Istvan Szili: Winner, Analysis and Reaction

Istvan Szili (18-1-2, 8 KO) isn't an elite fighter, but Antoine "Action" Douglas (18-0-1, 12 KO) sure looked like one in stopping the Hungarian in the third round on Friday night at the Sands Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The 22-year-old Douglas dropped Szili three times in the fight. Showtime Sports has the first one in the tweet below: 

Early in the fight, Douglas established his jab. He was having some difficulties breaking through Szili's high guard, but he began to go under and around his opponent's gloves to land.

By the second round, Douglas' hand speed was clearly discouraging Szili. "Action" was beginning to open up and Szili was paying the price for Douglas' increasing confidence level. Late in the second round, Douglas dropped Szili with a nasty combination.

The Hungarian face-planted and used all but 1.5 seconds of referee Gary Rosado's count to rise to his feet. The bell rang shortly after, and Szili escaped for the time being. 

Douglas wouldn't let up at the beginning of the third round. He came out and attacked as he was smelling a finish. Szili went down early in the round and would be dropped again seconds after to force Rosado's stoppage.

Undisputed Champions Network's Steve Kim and USA Today's Mike Coppinger heaped praise on the young middleweight:

With another impressive win under Douglas' belt, it's only a matter of time before he's in position to challenge for one of the more significant titles at 160 pounds. A fight against the regular WBA champion Daniel Jacobs seems like a possibility—assuming Jacobs defeats Sergio Mora on August 1.

Andy Lee is the WBO champion and also a potential future opponent for Douglas. Lee will face Billy Joe Saunders on September 5. The wait for that fight might be a little too long, although Douglas could take a tune-up bout in the meantime to stay active and still be ready for a fight with Lee in early 2016.

It's possible Douglas may already have an opponent in mind. Per FightNights.com, he has said he'd like a fight with Curtis Stevens if possible:

In any case, the more Douglas wins, the more opportunities become available to him. At such a young age, it appears the sky is the limit. If you haven't yet seen him fight, Douglas is one to keep an eye one moving forward.

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