Luke Campbell took a step closer to a world title fight with a 10th-round stoppage of fellow Yorkshireman Tommy Coyle in an electrifying encounter at the KC Stadium.
In the WBC lightweight eliminator bout dubbed the 'Rumble in the Humber'. the London 2012 Olympic gold medallist knocked down his former sparring partner and friend in the second round with a brutal body shot, but Coyle not only survived the round he kept coming forward.
It was a trait the 25-year-old Coyle continued to adopt but he was continually beaten to the punch and another body shot in the 10th proved to be the beginning of the end, with Campbell knocking his opponent down twice more before the referee ended the contest with Coyle reeling in the corner.
However, Campbell, who improved his record to 12-0 with 10KOs, was undoubtedly given the stiffest test of his professional career as he was taken past eight rounds for the first time.
The 27-year-old was the overwhelming favourite heading into the bout and, after a cagey opening round, he demonstrated why midway through the second with a sharp left under the ribs doubling Coyle up.
Coyle looked to be in serious pain but he showed few signs of any ill-effects by attempting to rough up Campbell for the remainder of the round.
Campbell rained punches down on Coyle at the start of the third but was unable to land the killer blow before the underdog landed a decent right hand just before the bell.
Despite taking plenty of punishment, Coyle kept coming forward, attempting to upset Campbell's rhythm but the highly-regarded southpaw continued to land punches from all angles to head and body in the mid-rounds.
Coyle landed a good body shot of his own in the seventh which appeared to briefly trouble Campbell, who stepped up a gear in the ninth with a blow to the mid-section before the bell saved his opponent.
Coyle still appeared to be troubled by the punch and another stinging left to the body sent him to the canvas for a second time, and this time Campbell pushed home his advantage.
A flurry in the corner saw Coyle dropped again and despite getting up he was on the seat of his shorts in identical circumstances in the opposite corner before the fight was stopped midway through the 10th as Campbell went in for the kill.
Coyle (21-3, 10KOs) could have few disputes with referee Victor Loughlin's stoppage and any pre-fight animosity was quickly forgotten following the conclusion of the bout as the two boxers embraced.