REAL COMBAT MEDIA UK: <a href=Liam Smith turns back the clock against Predrag Radosevic to make history." width="675" height="450" />

REAL COMBAT MEDIA UK: Liam Smith turns back the clock against Predrag Radosevic to make history.

Canelo and Cotto now next on Beefy’s hit list.

Manchester, UK, (AP) (5th of June 2016)– Mersey fight fans waited 39 long years, two months and 30 days to see a Liverpool fighter defend a world title in his home city. Liam Smith ensured they didn’t have to wait much longer to see history finally repeated.

Just four minutes into his world title defence at the Echo Arena, the WBO light-middleweight champion advertised his credentials to belong in a much higher class of fighter with a chilling destruction of outgunned challenger Predrag Radosevic.

It was even quicker than the performance produced by the city’s finest fighting man, John Conteh, back in March 1977.

That night, Kirkby’s Conteh defended his WBC light-heavyweight title with a three-round destruction of Lennie Hutchins at the old Liverpool Stadium, in front of a 3,800 ecstatic fight fans.

That atmospheric old venue is now a car park.

The city’s latest boxing cathedral, the Echo Arena, has already seen more than its fair share of historic fight nights.

But few more ruthless than Saturday’s.

Montenegran Radosevic came to Merseyside with an impressive looking record of 30 wins and one solitary stoppage defeat on his record, and that when he stepped up to middleweight to face Felix Sturm.

Even then the German took four rounds to halt him.

But a trademark left hook to the body from ‘Beefy’ Smith saw him drop his challenger just a minute and five seconds into the second round.

He didn’t beat the count.

Merseyside boxing is enjoying a golden age – two world champions, football stadium mega-shows, a Fab Four from one family shaking up the sport – and Smith is now on the brink of some golden fights.

Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Miguel Cotto are the blue riband names being mentioned.

Promoter Frank Warren said: “Liam made quite a statement tonight.

“In my opinion he is certainly in the top three in that division and we are looking now to make a significant fight for him.

“We are working very hard for something to happen in the autumn. If we could get Canelo to agree to it that’s where we’d like to go, because I think Liam has the beating of him.

“The better the fighter in front of him the more you get out of Liam. From day one I have thought he was an exceptional and extraordinary talent and I think that if he gets into a fight like that you will see something really special.”

REAL COMBAT MEDIA UK: <a href=Liam Smith turns back the clock against Predrag Radosevic to make history." width="679" height="471" />

Smith was clearly a class above Radosevic and didn’t need to show anything special by his own standards.

Traditionally a slow starter he made what almost represented a flying start for him with some clean blows in the opening round, with the left hand already looking like a potent weapon.

It proved just that 65 seconds into the second round as Smith defended his world crown for the second time.

Now his mega talent is waiting on a genuine mega-fight.

The Captain claims a title belt.

THOMAS STALKER was the night’s other big winner, as the man nicknamed The Captain collected the WBO European lightweight title with a comprehensive points decision over Portugal’s Antonio Joao Bento.

Stalker dropped the Portuguese in the sixth round, opened up a gash over his right eye in the fourth and claimed a unanimous points verdict 100-89, 99-90, 100-89.

After frustrating draws in his previous two European title challenges it was a sugar sweet night for the 31-year-old.

But there was bitter disappointment for fellow Scouser Ryan Farrag in his European bantamweight title challenge.

REAL COMBAT MEDIA UK: <a href=Liam Smith turns back the clock against Predrag Radosevic to make history." width="710" height="1203" />

Farrag had threatened to knock Frenchman Karim Guerfi’s head “clean off his shoulders” in a testy build up.

But in a macho slugfest carrying more testosterone than grey matter, Guerfi was the first to connect cleanly.

Farrag shook his head in disdain when Guerfi landed with a left hook in the third round, but seconds later another big left connected again, Farrag slumped to the canvas and despite rising at the count of eight the fight was waved off.

It was the first stoppage defeat of Farrag’s 17 fight career.

Adopted Scouser Zolani Tete was another stoppage victor, ending Victor Ruiz’s challenge for his IBF International bantamweight title in the seventh round, while Kevin Satchell kicked the evening’s entertainment off with a six round points win over Brett Fidoe.

REAL COMBAT MEDIA UK: <a href=Liam Smith turns back the clock against Predrag Radosevic to make history." width="715" height="429" />

Another local lad, Steven Lewis, made a successful return to the ring after almost a year out, and extended his perfect record to 11-0.

Abderdeen-based Pole Marek Laskowski was stopped in the last of eight punishing rounds as Lewis’ showed great accuracy, shot selection and power throughout.

The Pole’s defence became increasingly ragged as the bout wore on and by the final round he was being pursued relentlessly around the ring by Lewis.

REAL COMBAT MEDIA UK: <a href=Liam Smith turns back the clock against Predrag Radosevic to make history." width="704" height="394" />

Referee Darren Sarginson decided he had seen enough and waved off the contest with barely 40 seconds remaining.

There were few complaints from the defeated Pole.

Liam Smith vs Predrag Radosevic HD">Liam Smith vs Predrag Radosevic HD: FULL FIGHT:


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