Boxing: Joe Calzaghe produced a devastating demolition job on American Jeff Lacy to win a unanimous points decision in their world super middleweight unification bout in Manchester in the early hours this morning.
Lacy, the undefeated IBF champion, had no answer to the clean hitting Welshman, who added Lacy's belt to the WBO title he has held for seven years.
It was Calzaghe's 18th successful defence of his WBO title and possibly the best performance of his career.
"I can't explain how happy I am," Calzaghe told ITV Sport at ringside. "He's a world class fighter and I think I won every single round.
"I showed that I was a better boxer than him...I was way to fast for him, the only chance he had was to stand toe to toe and hope for one big shot."
Lacy, nicknamed "Left Hook", rarely landed with his trademark weapon and was picked off at will by southpaw Calzaghe to the delight of the 10,000 fans packed into the MEN Arena.
Calzaghe, four years older than his opponent, withstood one big right hand in the first round, but from then on was completely in control of the fight.
Some thudding combinations from Calzaghe opened a cut under Lacy's right eye in the fourth round and he dished out more punishment in rounds five and six.
Calzaghe looked close to finishing the fight at the end of the seventh with a sustained barrage that had a blood-smeared Lacy pinned on the ropes.
Miles behind on points and completely outclassed, Lacy looked out on his feet at times but bravely hung on to take the fight to the 12-round distance.
Calzaghe went for the big finish in the final round, dumping Lacy on the canvas for the first time in his career with a short left hand.
The exhausted American got back up after a count of eight, but by then Calzaghe's victory was on the cards.