Sunday 25 March 2018 11:45, UK
Dereck Chisora returned to winning ways after an emphatic stoppage of Zakaria Azzouzi and then went on to goad David Haye amid talk of a fight with Joe Joyce.
Popular London heavyweight Chisora, back in action following a disappointing majority decision loss to European champion Agit Kabayel in October, demonstrated his power with a punishing right hand to finish things in the second.
'Del Boy' went through the gears early on, working behind his left jab against his outmatched French counterpart, often finding a home for a ramming uppercut through the middle, before finishing off the job.
There is ongoing speculation that Chisora could now be in line to take on 2016 Rio Olympics' silver-medallist Joe Joyce on the undercard of Bellew-Haye II on May 5, and Joyce appeared alongside his promoter Haye at ringside as Chisora gave his post-fight interview.
"I wasn't scared of that guy, I came out and messed around in the first and then in the second, I did what I do best," Chisora said following the victory.
"I don't know about May 5, I have David Haye and his little chihuahua (Joyce) calling me out. If there isn't titles involved, I want the money. We do everything for money.
"If the money is right, I'll take the fight. They keep calling me the gatekeeper.
"I'll make a deal right now, If I beat Joyce, you [Haye] give me your purse and TV rights for the Bellew fight.
"If he doesn't want to surrender his purse, he can jog on. Who wears cane rows at 37. I don't make excuses, I never had a broken toe."
Olympian Anthony Fowler notched up his fifth win from as many outings with a fifth-round stoppage of game Frenchman Kalilou Dembele.
The Liverpool super-welterweight had his opponent on the canvas in the second period after a left hand landed clean on the chin and he proceeded to look for the early finish thereafter.
Fowler was given a stern test by his French opponent throughout before the referee waved off the contest after another knockdown in the fifth.
"It was a good fight, he was an unbeaten fighter, he came to win. The knockout was a bit premature, but I was getting into my groove," Fowler said.
"In some ways the referee saved him from a heavy knockout that could have damaged his career."
Earlier in the night, Craig Richards and Jamie Cox also got back to winning ways having lost respective championship bouts previously.
Richards was outpointed by British champion Frank Buglioni in October after coming in as a late replacement, and he put in a powerful and spiteful performance to stop Ivan Stupalo inside three rounds.
"I took positives out of the Buglioni defeat and now I've properly built into a light-heavyweight," 'Spider' said afterwards.
"I'm not going to rush things from here, I just do the fighting and let my team decide where we go. I'm always in the gym and learning all the time."
Cox, who will return to The O2 on the Bellew-Haye II undercard on May 5 to take on John Ryder, live on Sky Sports Box Office, dusted off the cobwebs with a routine victory over Harry Matthews.
The Swindon super-middleweight found a crunching overhand right to finish the contest in the second.
"It was good to get some rounds in and now, I'm looking forward to the Ryder fight. It's a great fight and one I will definitely win," the 31-year-old said.
"The best is still to come. People see me in the gym and I work hard, now I know what it is like to be at world level after my defeat to [George] Groves."
There were also early nights for unbeaten cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe and debutant Louie Lynn, the pair recording stoppage victories, while Londoner Chris Kongo cruised to a points win over Serge Ambono.
