Joe Joyce became the first man to stop Joseph Parker as he booked his ticket to a world title showdown with Oleksandr Usyk.
The heavyweight rivals put their reputations on the line in Manchester in what was effectively a winner-takes-all affair. The victor would be in pole position to take on Usyk next year with the beaten man left to feed on scraps.
And it was Joyce who imposed his size advantage on the smaller man from the opening bell as he wore Parker down before dropping and stopping his rival in the penultimate round. "What a fighter and what a fight," Joyce said. "It was a tough fight, he's improved and what a tough fight. I really enjoyed it and I had to dig deep to get through the rounds."
