NIGERIAN-born, Ola Afolabi produced a performance full of grit and determination to dethrone IBO world cruiserweight champion Rakhim Chakhkiev in Kazan, Russia on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old was very much the underdog against the local favourite who had lost just once in 25 contests as a professional.
Afolabi was put under pressure from the first bell by the Russian who set off at a furious pace, throwing huge right hands that the Briton did well to block.
A clash of heads in the third saw both fighters cut on their left eyes, but in the fourth Chakhkiev's workrate visibly dropped and Afolabi started to score with a solid jab.
At the start of the fifth Afolabi landed two straight rights that dropped the Russian to the canvas, but inexplicably the referee ruled it was not a knockdown.
But there was no doubt soon after as Chakhkiev was rocked by a booming right hand before a follow-up left hook left him face down with the count not necessary.
Afolabi moved to 22-4-4 (11KOs) with the fight stopped after 1:44.
Denis Lebedev retained his WBA cruiserweight world title with a clinical eighth-round stoppage of American-based Nigerian Lateef Kayode.
The 36-year-old Russian southpaw (28-2 21KOs) was giving away both height ad reach, but threw the most meaningful shots and in the seventh a right hook, followed swiftly by a left dropped Kayode who was forced to take a count despite claiming he had been pushed.
Lebedev sensed the fight was his and in the eighth landed with a savage left uppercut that again put Kayode down. He continued but was down for a second time after two left hooks landed, this time pulling himself up by hanging onto diminutive referee Steve Smoger.
The champion attacked again and another upper cut followed by a straight right with Kayode pinned on the ropes was enough for the fight to be waved off.
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