Smith sees off Dodson

Smith: unanimous decision

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Paul Smith overcame Tony Dodson in a savage contest to retain his British super-middleweight title with a unanimous points decision at Liverpool's Echo Arena.

There was plenty of ill-feeling between the two Liverpudlians in build-up to the contest and, in his first defence, Smith was forced to overcome a couple of nasty cuts to emerge victorious.

Smith sustained a gash above his left eye in the opening round following a clash of heads which would leave his face caked in blood for the rest of the fight. Indeed, only the sterling efforts of cut-man Mick Williamson in his corner ensured he was able to continue.

But the cut seemed to affect Smith who was often hurried and rather untidy in his early work as if looking for a big shot to end the contest, conscious of his own precarious situation.

By contrast Dodson was more considered, although he looked to open his opponent's wound at every opportunity.

Smith was taken to the neutral corner in the fourth to have his head inspected after a further clash of heads opened another cut on his brow.

But in the fifth he found an overhand right that rocked Dodson who was forced to hold on, although he could not follow up with his experienced opponent buying himself some time.

Dodson responded in kind in the sixth with his best shot to date, a scything right that hurt Smith and it was the challenger who shaded the seventh with some eye-catching late work.

But after a scrappy eighth, a more hungry Smith began to impose himself in the ninth and a couple of big rights and a quick combination landed as Dodson looked increasingly tired.

His cause was further hampered in the tenth when, after repeated warnings, he was docked a point for holding with Smith again producing the more aggressive work.

Dodson rallied again in the closing stages as he looked for the knock-out he needed to turn the contest, but despite shading the last round it was Smith who had done enough to claim a brutal success winning 116-111, 115-112 and 117-112 on the scorecards.

Brook impressive again

Meanwhile, earlier on the bill, Sheffield welterweight Kell Brook took another step towards his world title dream as he stopped Poland's Krzysztof Bienias to win the World Boxing Organisation intercontinental welterweight.

The bout doubled up as a WBO title eliminator and Brook came through in some style as he closed out victory in the sixth round.

The success now installs him as the mandatory challenger to pound-for-pound superstar Manny Pacquiao, who defends his belt in Texas against Joshua Clottey this weekend.

Brook was forced to bide his time in the opening round, but a left uppercut followed by a straight right began a barrage of punches on the ropes at the start of round two.

He followed up with more hurtful shots as the champion was forced to just try and survive and he remained dominant throughout the third, fourth and fifth rounds.

The end came in the sixth when, after another stinging uppercut had wobbled the champion, Brook unloaded with a stinging left-right combination with his man trapped on the ropes, persuading the referee to step in.