Leigh Wood has knocked out Michael Conlan in one of the most shocking endings to a world title fight, successfully defending his WBA featherweight title.
Wood was down on the scorecards in front of his home supporters in Nottingham having largely been second best to the classier work of Conlan, who had begun to fade during the closing sessions.
However, Wood rendered the judges' scores irrelevant by knocking out Conlan, who collapsed through the ropes and into the front row, seemingly unconscious.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, Conlan took to social media to say that he was "all good", adding that he was keen for a rematch at Wood's chosen destination of the City Ground, the home of Nottingham Forest.
Wood's celebrations were muted as he immediately realised the gravity of the situation as Irish fighter Conlan was treated by paramedics outside of the ring.
During the early stages, it appeared that Conlan would deliver an early finish, dropping Wood in the final second of the first round and continually pummeling his opponent who looked out of his depth.
Nevertheless, as the rounds ticked by, Wood's resilience was breathtaking, absorbing a barrage of left hands and body shots to become competitive in the fight down the stretch.
Wood turned the tables in the 11th with his own knockdown, and although Conlan and trainer Adam Booth argued venomously that a slip was a contributory factor, it had been a sign that his earlier exertions had caught up with him.
In the 12th, Conlan looked on course to see out the final three minutes, but a selection of shots from Wood ended the fight, Conlan dropping through the ropes in a stunning climax to a war which will not be forgotten anytime soon.
Darren Plant
