Liam Smith stops Chris Eubank Jr. in domestic grudge match

Former junior middleweight champion Liam Smith stunned favored Chris Eubank into submission in round four at AO Arena in Manchester, England Saturday night.

The time was 1:09.

In round one, Eubank jabbed. Smith (33-3-1, 20 KOs) bobbed and weaved. He fired a right to the body. Eubank (32-3, 23 KOs) scored with a left, Smith with a right hand to the head. Close round.

Eubank moved to his left in round two and jabbed. Smith, behind a peekaboo defense, pursued with purpose. Eubank connected with a right. He unloaded a combination seconds later.

Smith started round three fast with a jab followed by a right. Eubank jabbed and jabbed. Smith went to the body. The bigger Eubank scored with an uppercut that stopped Smith in his tracks.

In round four, Smith ate more jabs. Eubank fired back. Smith pushed Eubank into the ropes and caught the cocky one with a variety of blows – punctuated by an uppercut and right hand that deposited Eubank on his back.

A wobbly Eubank beat the count, but a right floored him for a second time. The referee waved off the contest.

Time was 1:09 seconds into round four.

“He’s got very long arms,” said a happy Smith in the ring. ”I figured I’d get him. Somebody hit’s you in the right spot, they go.”

Cruiserweight Richard Riakporhe (16-0, 12 KOs) stopped former cruiserweight champion Krzysztof Głowacki in round four.

Riakporhe seemed to hurt Głowacki (32-4, 20 KOs) in round two and staggered him into the ropes in round four. Riakporhe jumped on his stricken foe and unloaded until referee Howard Foster stopped the bout.

Former WBO heavyweight champion Joseph Parker scored a pedestrian 10-round decision over Jack Massey. Parker (32-3,21 KOs). Parker had promised knockout all week. The smaller Massey (20-2, 11 KOs) was happy to go the distance.