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Carl Froch made light work of Tony Dodson as he retained his British and Commonwealth super middleweight titles in Nottingham.
Local hero Froch, 29, lived up to his promise of making Dodson pay for pulling out of three scheduled bouts with a third-round stoppage on Friday.
Liverpudlian Dodson was counted out after being put on the canvas by massive body blow late in the round.
The classy knockout gave Froch his 20th straight victory.
"The fight was very satisfying," Froch said afterwards. "The body shot - I don't remember throwing it but it was on the button and it did the damage."
Meanwhile, promoter Mick Hennessy wants Froch to fight for the European title next but issued a challenge to Wales's IBF and WBO super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe.
He said: "If Calzaghe wants a major domestic showdown, he should forget Clinton Woods - Carl is the fighter he should face. He's the best super middleweight on the planet."
Froch's win sealed him the prestigious Lonsdale Belt outright, as well as putting him firmly in line for a chance at reigning European champion David Gogiya in the new year.
The promising fighter had warned ahead of the bout that Dodson would pay after accusing him of running scared from three scheduled fights between the pair.
Dodson was British champion when he was first paired with Froch in 2004 but withdrew from that contest through injury.
He also missed a further two dates with the Nottingham boxer while Froch won the Commonwealth title and then the domestic belt.
Despite the acrimonious build-up to the fight, Froch embraced his opponent - who had come back from a career-threatening car accident in 2004 - at the final bell.
"He hit me with a couple in the first round but then I found my rhythm.
"It means a lot to me to have the Lonsdale belt. Now I'm going to sit down and look to go forward, probably going for the European title."
Dodson had made a promising start, catching his opponent with a solid right hand over the top before the champion's strength and accuracy began to show.
Towards the end of the third round, Froch got his decisive breakthrough when he unloaded the devastating left hand, to which Dodson had no reply.
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Source: BBC Sport |
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