Chris Eubank Jr knocked Liam Williams down four times in a spiteful performance to end their bitter feud in Cardiff on Saturday.
Eubank Jr won a unanimous decision in his rival’s home city after dropping Williams repeatedly, including in the opening round.
It was a brilliant statement win by Eubank Jr – the best of his career, masterminded by his legendary trainer Roy Jones Jr – which could set him up for a world middleweight title shot later this year, with IBF champion Gennadiy Golovkin targeted.
He brought a vicious end to his spiteful feud with Williams, which had started on social media and simmered in the days leading up to their all-British battle, mixing showboating with accurate and hurtful punches.
Williams, in his home city with the crowd fully in his favour, found himself on the canvas in rounds one, two, four and 11.
The vociferous Welsh crowd were silenced in minutes as Eubank Jr hit his opponent with a stiff jab, caught him off balance, and sent him to the floor.
Eubank Jr then clattered Williams with a left hook in the second round which knocked him down.
There was still time for the composed Eubank Jr to sting Williams again in a torrid second period for the home fighter.
By the third, Eubank Jr was so in control that he was able to showboat in a way that his father, seated at ringside, made famous.
Williams scored a shot at the end of the third which caused Eubank Jr to respond after the bell – he was dragged away and reprimanded by the referee.
Eubank Jr shrugged and goaded Williams, then knocked him down for a third time with another jab.
He spent the rest of the round talking to the Welshman as they boxed.
Williams was then scolded by the referee for his rugged methods in trying to catch Eubank Jr in the seventh round.
Williams put up a good fight in the eighth, enabling the crowd to find their voice again when he landed a decent right hand.
Eubank Jr barrelled Williams, who was sporting a black eye, to the floor for the fourth time in the 11th round.
