Cleverly stops McIntosh for title

Nathan Cleverly stopped Danny McIntosh to retain his Commonwealth light-heavyweight title and claim the vacant British title at London's York Hall.

Welshman Cleverly disposed of McIntosh in seven rounds to remain undefeated.

In Manchester, Anthony Small stopped hometown fighter Matthew Hall to claim the Commonwealth and vacant British light-middleweight belts.

And Sheffield's Kell Brook retained his British welterweight title with a stoppage of Michael Lomax.

Cleverly, 22, totally outclassed McIntosh, knocking him down four times, twice in the second round, once in the third and again in seventh, all courtesy of the Cefn Fforest man's right hand.

McIntosh showed tremendous bravery to last as long as he did, but Cleverly's superior boxing skills and greater experience proved too much and referee Howard Foster stopped the fight after one minute 30 seconds of the seventh.

606: DEBATE

" Cracking performance from Cleverly. He produced some lovely bodyshots and picked his shots well, I see this lad going all the way to the top "

Cleverly improves to 17 victories (seven knockouts) in as many fights, while it was his Norwich-based opponent's first defeat in 11 fights as a professional.

Manchester's Hall was defending his Commonwealth crown for the first time since an impressive second-round stoppage of Welshman Bradley Pryce in March, while the British title was also up for grabs.

Small, 28, made the better start, landing cleanly while remaining elusive. Midway through the second round, however, the Londoner was forced to soak up two left hooks by his more orthodox opponent.

Those shots seemed to subdue Small for a couple of rounds, until the 25-year-old Hall suffered a minor cut over his left eye in the fourth.

Small, his speed and skill giving him the edge over Hall's brawn, landed with a variety of shots to head and body in rounds five and six. And in round seven, a clash of heads opened up another cut, this time over Hall's right eye.

That second cut seemed to drain Hall of energy, and Small's superior shot selection was leaving his opponent increasingly desperate and short of ideas as the round wore on.

And when a right uppercut rocked Hall's head back in the eighth after several unanswered shots, referee Richie Davies spared the Manchester man any further punishment by ending the fight after two minutes and 21 seconds of the round.

Small improves to 22 victories (13 knockouts) and one defeat, while Hall drops to 22 wins (15 knockouts) and two defeats.

The 23-year-old Brook, who has been tipped for world honours in the future, was far superior to his Essex opponent and landed almost at will throughout.

The Yorkshireman, bouncing in and out of range, landed jabs and hurtful right hands to which Lomax had no answer.

Brook stepped up the assault in the third round and the accumulation of shots started to take its toll on the 30-year-old challenger.

And when a straight right stiffened Lomax, referee Dave Parris was quick to step in. Brook is now undefeated in 20 professional fights, with 13 knockouts.

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