Clarke hands Billam-Smith first stoppage loss in stunning upset win

Cheavon Clarke beat former world champion Chris Billam-Smith at the Copper Box Arena in London; Billam-Smith had never been dropped before but Clarke put him over twice before the referee halted the Bournemouth star

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Cheavon Clarke scored a stunning stoppage win over Chris Billam-Smith at the Copper Box Arena in London.

He not only knocked the former world champion down for the first time in Billam-Smith's career, he put him over twice and handed the Bournemouth star a first stoppage defeat.

Halted on the ropes, as Clarke's right hooks streaked in, Billam-Smith at once shook his head to protest as the referee waved it off.

Clarke, after a thrilling win over Jack Massey last time out, was looking for a big-name scalp that would launch him into the top class of the division. He got it.

Billam-Smith had been seeking to exact some personal vengeance too. Clarke had beaten him in a pivotal national amateur championship final 10 years ago. The Bournemouth man had subsequently converted himself from amateur nearly man to elite professional champion. But, a decade on, Clarke once again handed him a bitterly painful defeat.

They began the first round busily with frenetic work. Clarke, full of energy, winged shots over. His head swung in too wildly, but it was a right hand over the top that gave Billam-Smith pause for thought.

Clarke popped Billam-Smith with a left hook as the former champion charged after him. Rolling under a left hook, Clarke moved off. He snuck his right round Billam-Smith's guard. Billam-Smith swallowed another right but dug in an uppercut with his backhand.

A right flew in and Clarke grabbed him in a clinch. He then answered with a cracking right to the jaw himself. But Billam-Smith, renowned for his toughness, took it stolidly.

In the third round Clarke blasted an excellent right uppercut between Billam-Smith's elbows. He touched his chin with the left hook and reached Billam-Smith with a long cross.

Manoeuvring for position in a clinch, Clarke whipped his left hook over. Billam-Smith bulled into him in a physical, frenetic fight, finishing the fourth round swinging hooks.

Early in the fifth round Clarke went for Billam-Smith. They traded hard hits.

The clinching, a frequent feature of the fight, appeared to leave them both frustrated. Clarke popped in a clean jab, but Billam-Smith ground forward onto the front foot.

Billam-Smith hit out with thudding power in the sixth round. Clarke sighed out a breath and stepped back, briefly losing the shape of his boxing.

But in the seventh round it was stunning to see Clarke bomb Billam-Smith over with a right. The Bournemouth man struggled back to his feet and Clarke swarmed forward. As Billam-Smith tried to escape from the ropes, Clarke knocked him down again.

He attacked Billam-Smith once more on the ropes. Billam-Smith's leg stuttered, but he had his feet under him when referee Lee Every moved in to end it.

"I'm fine. It was a good shot. He buzzed me, obviously," Billam-Smith said afterwards. "It was a great shot. I made a mistake, but I felt like I was winning the fight.

"Fair play to Chev. We've had three fights now and he's got them all. I'd love to run it back and get him eventually."

"I don't care about a label. I'm Chev Clarke and that's all that matters."