Against an opponent who would have looked more at home in an octopus tank, Carl Froch kept his IBF world super-middleweight title in front of friends and family in Nottingham with a knockout of the unconvincing American challenger Yusaf Mack.

It was not the champion’s finest eight-and-a-half minutes but hardly his fault. Andre Ward, who embarrassed Froch last year, had said he would not be watching and saved himself an ugly experience, as his compatriot clawed, sweated, stared and toppled in front of Froch.

That is putting it charitably. It was Mack’s first serious fight at 12st in five years and how he inveigled his way into a world title fight is a mystery familiar to patrons of this strange sport and business.