Lightweight Amir Khan stopped Dane Martin Kristjansen in the seventh round in Bolton on Saturday to close in on a world title fight.
The British Olympic silver medal winner was given a tough examination by Kristjansen before unleashing a powerful combination of punches to end the WBO eliminator.
Khan's record since turning professional after the Athens Olympics now stands at 17-0 while Kristjansen, who had not been stopped before in his 24 fights, suffered his second defeat.
The 21-year-old Khan began at a fast pace and looked capable of finishing the fight in the first couple of rounds. However, Kristjansen used his experience to weather the storm.
Khan slowed in the fifth and sixth rounds but then caught Kristjansen with a rapid succession of punches in the seventh to put him down and force a standing eight count.
Khan, who also received a warning for punching while his opponent was on the floor, finished the job in style by launching another attack moments later, sending Kristjansen to the canvas twice more before the referee ended the fight.
Khan's manager Frank Warren said there was no rush to secure a world title fight.
"He will fight again in June, maybe in the States," Warren told the BBC. "I'm sure we will get some news from the WBO in the next few weeks and we'll see where we go from there."
