Liam Smith moved one step closer to another world title shot after stopping Hassan Mwakinyo inside four rounds at the M&S Bank Arena.
However, the fight’s ending was clouded in confusion and controversy at the way the referee wave off the contest, with Mwakinyo and his corner less than impressed.
After three tight rounds, in which Smith was always on the front foot, with Mwakinyo happy to keep his guard up and challenge his opponent to open things up, round four was when things turned incredibly strange.
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Mwakinyo first went down after appearing to roll his ankle before he then took a knee in the corner despite no shot from Smith. His fall triggered a knockdown count.
But after getting back to his feet, Mwakinyo then did exactly the same thing moments later, albeit under pressure from Smith. This time, instead of receiving a count, referee Victor Loughlin simply waved the fight off.
Mwakinyo and his corner were fuming with Loughlin over the call, while Smith just looked frustrated with the ending, and Boxxer CEO Ben Shalom didn’t exactly look overjoyed at ringside.
"I don't know what happened. I didn't really do too much early on because Hassan was wild, I'm a bit gutted I never gave the fans a proper finish but it's out of my hands,” Smith said in the immediate aftermath.
"He said he slipped, he just quit, it doesn't take a genius to work that out. I said about the sparring story, I knew he had it in him."
Before he continued: "I hadn't even got going, I was jabbing, I knew Hassan would be wild and tire early and then I'd takeover.
"As long as I don't quit that's fine by me. Just get me a big fight. People are probably bored of me saying it."
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