Boxer Thomas Carty's team has claimed he was hit by "two illegal blows" and fell through "loose ropes" during a bizarre first-round no-contest against David Allen at Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday. Carty was unable to continue after suffering a suspected concussion when he toppled out of the ring and struck his head on a ringside table, prompting the ringside doctor to end the co-main event on Katie Taylor's undercard.

The fight lasted just one minute and 22 seconds before being stopped. Carty's team said he received two illegal blows to the back of the head, with the second causing him to lose his balance and reach for the ropes, which then gave way and sent him crashing to the floor outside the ring; he was taken to hospital for a brain scan but has since returned home and is said to be healthy. Allen, 34, denied targeting the back of Carty's head, insisting he had aimed to "clip him round the ear", and said he intends to ask the boxing board to overturn the result in his favour.