The chief support fight on the Wembley under-card saw James DeGale take on the unbeaten American Brandon Gonzales.
With the winner to be confirmed as the mandatory challenger for Carl Froch?s IBF super-middleweight crown, it was a splendid opportunity for DeGale to reinforce his credentials as a potential world champion and that is exactly what the London fighter did.
At the sound of the first bell, DeGale was out of his corner quickly landing a stinging punch as the American backed off. DeGale continued to dominate the early action and had the greater success against Gonzales who looked a little sluggish.
The fight ended in dramatic fashion in the fourth round when DeGale caught Gonzales with another heavy left and when he followed that up with another punch of the same ilk the referee, Steve Gray, stepped in to save the American from further punishment.
Gonzales corner, led by his trainer Virgil Hunter, didn?t agree with the decision and, in all honesty, Gonzales, considering it was a world title eliminator, could have let the action go on a little longer.
However, after the fight DeGale remarked,
?I wanted to make a statement. I?m 100 per cent ready for a world title shot.?
All that remains to be seen is how long DeGale will now have to wait for that opportunity.
DeGale Grabs World Title Fight Opportunity!
