MONTREAL — Dzmitry Asanau had an extensive amateur career, fighting at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

Some have said the 135-pound prospect has an amateur style. However, on Thursday's Osleys Iglesias-Vladimir Shishkin undercard, he did his best to dispel that notion.

While he still has the footwork and hand speed, the Belarusian appreciates this is the entertainment business and, as such, wants to give the fans what they come for.

His latest opponent, then-unbeaten Laid Douadi, appeared on paper to be someone who would take him rounds. But there is a reason they fight the fights. In that regard, Asanau delivered, scoring a knockout after three rounds of a scheduled 10-rounder.

From the first bell, he pressed the action and looked to engage with his skittish French opponent.

"We knew he will move around a lot, and we prepared for this," Asanau (11-0, 5 KOs) told The Ring. "We did good sparring session with Sam [Decarie], and had a good game plan.

"The first round, we needed to jab and control distance. When he missed, make him pay. I feel, 'OK, I can use this.' My stamina is good. I worked hard in training camp, I did 10 rounds sparring, 12 rounds sparring in Dubai with tough guys."

The 29-year-old, who owns amateur wins over former unified world junior-featherweight world champion Murodjon Akhmadaliev, esteemed Cuban Lazaro Alvarez and others, felt his early work paid dividends almost straight away against Douadi (27-1-1, 3 KOs).

"In the second half of the second round, I feel his stamina is going down, his speed, everything. ... I think, 'OK, now it's time," but it wasn't the correct time, and Sam told me, 'OK, let's focus on our game plan and stay calm.'

"I feel like I hurt him to the head a little bit, and in training we did it a lot, stab to the body, and it's finished. It's good work from the team. I feel when it landed, it's finished. I felt like my hand is almost in his stomach."

As impressive as Asanau was, it wasn't without incident as Decarie had to shout at his charge and settle him down.

"I was super happy with the first round because he was touching, and that was part of the game plan, and his jab was amazing," Decarie said. "The second round, when he hurt him, he started to load up his punches and kill him, but he lost his focus and they were trading punch for punch.

"When he came back to the corner [after Round 2] I told him, 'Dzima, why are you doing this? We've got a game plan. Mix up and down. Go back to your jab and we're going to stop him, but you need to pick your shots.'

"That is exactly what he did. The round started and he worked his body, he worked with the jab, and a little slip and perfect shot."

Although Asanau emerged unscathed, he feels training can be physically taxing, and that may dictate when he next fights.

"I think one week, recover, do some physio sessions to my knees, to my body, because it was a long training camp, almost 12 weeks, we did a good job, trained hard," he said. "We will discuss but now I have to come back to my family first, take some rest. I did three times preparing for 10 rounds. It's not about when you stop the fight. When you train hard, you need to recover.

"Maybe early next year, but Eye of The Tiger have two events here this year, I think every spot is booked. Maybe we agree some event in Dubai because they have a big event on Dec. 2, Ricky Hatton comes back to boxing. Maybe we will do something. Why not?"

Questions and/or comments can be sent to Anson at elraincoat@live.co.uk and you can follow him on X@AnsonWainwr1ght