Artur Beterbiev stops Oleksandr Gvozdyk in world light-heavyweight unification clash

Artur Beterbiev produced an explosive stoppage of Oleksandr Gvozdyk while trailing on the scorecards to win the world light-heavyweight title unification clash.

The Russian floored Gvozdyk on three occasions to force the finish, adding the WBC belt to his IBF title, and had been behind 87-84, 86-85 on two of the scorecards, with the third judge scoring it 87-83 for him in Philadelphia.

Beterbiev had been denied a knockdown in the first round when it was adjudged a push after an instant replay review, and both fighters traded a string of power punches as the exciting fight unfolded.

But the Ukrainian was the first to wilt, taking a knee in the 10th, and Beterbiev bludgeoned him to the canvas twice more before the bout was waved off.

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Britain's Callum Johnson shared the ring with Beterbiev in 2018, dropping the IBF champion in the second round, only to suffer a stoppage in the fourth.

He told Sky Sports that the winner of Beterbiev-Gvozdyk should be considered the No 1 in the division.

"The fight tonight is the best two, I think we'll find out who is the best tonight," said Johnson, who hopes to secure another world title fight in 2020.

Watch Robbie Davies Jr against Lewis Ritson and Ted Cheeseman versus Scott Fitzgerald in Newcastle on Saturday night, from 7pm on Sky Sports Action.