Terry Flanagan defends WBO lightweight title with second round knockout

The Liverpool man has earned his shot after building a convincing run of 20-0-1 and has promised to bring the world title back to Liverpool.

“I don’t really care where I defend my title but I have fulfilled one dream and now another dream is to win a world title in America”, said Smith.

“All those fighters are more than worthy of fighting for world titles, but I’m confident that I’m the best of the bunch”. “I’m so proud and it feels brilliant to be a world champion”. He can now set his sights on conquering the world. The card is headlined by two world title fights, and just about all the bouts are up at the sportsbooks.

“These are massive fights and massive names”. People chase world titles and I have one so they’ve got to chase me now. I don’t see those guys as top 10 contenders. It sparked Smith to look for the decisive combination.

Smith landed another big right at the start of the three minutes before he ended it.

Referee Marcus McDonnell warned Smith but he was soon back to his tunnel-visioned assault, throwing power shots and flooring Thompson with a vicious left and a follow-up right.

“It was easier than I thought, I was expecting a hard night’s work and it turned out easy”, Flanagan said to iFLtv after his stunning maiden defence. “My weight is down, I think we are going to leave no stone unturned, we’re going into it having covered everything”. I was wary of his jab and I didn’t use mine, as I wasn’t in his range.

Smith is part of the successful Joe Gallagher gym in Manchester and finally gets his chance on the biggest stage after most ringside observers – myself included – had been crying out for him to be stepped up in class.

With the fight finely poised after four rounds, the fifth was a little subdued with Smith stalking the ever-retreating American around the ring like a lion. To even put those stats up is a joke really.

Thompson looked to be falling apart in the sixth round after being nailed by a left hook and in the seventh Smith increased the pressure before a big right to temple left the American falling face first on to the canvas.

And Beefy did it all with a smile.