By Elisinio Castillo

Hassan N'Dam (35-2, 21KOs) is back in the mix with a brutal first round knockout of previously undefeated Alfonso Blanco (12-1, 5KOs) to capture the WBA's interim-middleweight championship at Stade de l’Est, Saint-Denis, Réunion.

N'Dam landed one massive counter-shot that sent Blanco down face-first to the mat and the fight was over. The victory marks the fourth win a row for N'Dam.

This is the second time that N'Dam won the WBA interim-belt. He is now in line to fight the winner of the March 18th showdown between WBA 'super' champion Gennady Golovkin and WBA 'regular' champion Daniel Jacobs.

N'Dam turned pro in 2004 in France and won his first 24 fights. He eventually captured the interim- WBA title by beating Avtandil Khurtsidze on October 30, 2010.

On March 4, 2012, N'Dam beat Max Bursak by unanimous decision for the WBO-interim middleweight belt. He was eventually elevated to full champion. He lost the title in October 2012, after being dropped six times and still going the distance, to Peter Quillin.

He won his next four fights, including an eliminator over Curtis Stevens, but then saw himself get dropped four times in a decision loss to David Lemieux for the vacant IBF title.

N'dam qualified to return to the Rio Olympics at the last qualifying tournament which allowed professionals approved by their national committees to participate, but lost his first Olympic match in the light heavyweight division in Rio de Janeiro to Michel Borges of Brazil.