By Alexey Sukachev

Olympia Hall, Liverpool - 24-year old Manchester native Anthony Crolla (20-2, 8 KOs) has found himself in a rare position with two BBBofC British titles in simultaneous possession. The British fighter stepped up into the lightweight after winning 130lb belt just four months ago.

Boxing with once-defeated John Watson (now 13-2, 5 KOs) for a vacant 135lb national title, Crolla delivered his possibly best career performance by both outboxing and outslugging presumably bigger opponent before scoring a chilling ninth-round kayo with a frightening right hook to the questionable chin of Watson. The contest was stopped without a count at 2:35 of the round thus crowning Anthony Crolla a new British lightweight champion. He was previously best known for stopping world-known featherweight contender Michael Brodie in November 2009. Watson was a late substitute for former world champion Gavin Rees.

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In a starting contest of a nice night of boxing at Olympia Hall, light welterweight Steve Williams (10-1, 4 KOs) came back to win column with an impressive second-round stoppage of feather-fisted Scottsman Charlie Paul King (17-3, no KOs). After an even first round, Williams threw several nice combinations in the second before putting King on a queer street with a smashing right hook. Referee Phil Edwards immediately stepped in at 2:05 to save the Scottish fighter from more punishment.