IN a weekend where the world crowned a new middleweight king, Alex Strutt's tentative steps into professional boxing could not have gone better.

Just 24 hours before Kelly Pavlik became the new ruler of the 160lb division with a seventh round knock-out of Jermain Taylor in Atlantic City, the 25-year-old Ombersley fighter stopped Lance Verallo in the second round of his debut fight.

While he waits for news on who next stands in his way, Strutt is planning to get some tips from the some of the best super-middleweights in the world next month.

"I'm off to see Carl Froch's fight with Robin Reid in Nottingham and then I'm going to the Millennium Stadium to watch Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler," said the Richie Woodhall-trained boxer.

"Friday was brilliant for me. The first round was a bit edgy but I came out in the second and picked my punches well and took him apart."

Strutt's opponent Verallo went into the clash without a win in his previous 16 matches but all of them had gone the distance.

But, against the former Droitwich ABC fighter, the referee at the Holiday Inn in Birmingham was forced to step in during the second of his six two-minute round bouts as Strutt landed thunderous blows that saw Verallo drop his guard.

"Richie was very pleased with my performance," Strutt added. "There are still plenty of things for me to work on and it wasn't a perfect performance, but I don't think it could have gone any better.

"Now I'm just going to get back in the gym, keep myself fit and see what Richie comes up with next."