Sunday 13 September 2015 18:16, UK
Anthony Joshua stopped Gary Cornish in 90 seconds to win the Commonwealth heavyweight title to the delight of The O2.
With Dillian Whyte having won in three rounds earlier in the evening, Joshua turned in an even more emphatic performance to rubber-stamp their British title collision on December 12.
Cornish arrived from Scotland with an unbeaten record and height and weight advantages over the Olympic champion but could find no answer to Joshua's famous power and found himself knocked down twice before Victor Loughlin called a halt.
The visitor actually began the fight solidly enough, popping out his long jab but he was beaten to the punch by Joshua's jab after 20 seconds and appeared discouraged by the impact of that shot.
It was a counter that sent Cornish to the canvas for the first time - the man from Inverness reaching through with his left to provide an opening that Joshua seized with a thunderous right hook, sending his man tumbling backwards and down.
To his credit, Cornish rose for more but was soon on the other end of more punishment as he tried to back Joshua up in the corner only to receive two range-finding lefts and another big right. Having fallen forward on to his knees, Cornish was again up before the end of the count - only for Loughlin to wave it off.
Joshua told Sky Sports afterwards: "There's no extra time. Credit to Gary where credit is due. He's a big man and had a solid jab. It's a 12-round fight and I wasn't trying to dish it all out in round one, but I managed to find shots to get the job done.
"I was trying to slip his long solid jabs and counter him and he went tumbling down. If I leave it and start taking my time, then it could be me on the end of those shots in five rounds time.
It's a 12-round fight and I wasn't trying to dish it all out in round one, but I managed to find shots to get the job done.
"This is what you do it for. When I'm locked away, I lead a simple life in the gym, playing PlayStation and riding my motorbikes. Then I get to come out and give a display."
Joshua and Whyte will return to the same venue to meet for the British belt as the climax to a war of words that harks back to a victory for the Brixton man during their amateur careers.
