Sheffield welterweight Kell Brook took a significant step towards a world title shot in the new year with a comprehensive stoppage win over Poland’s Rafal Jackiewicz.

European champion Darren Barker’s brave WBC middleweight title bid ended in despair as he was stopped in the 11th round by Sergio Martinez in Atlantic City.

British heavyweight champion Tyson Fury maintained his unbeaten record with a fifth-round stoppage win over American Nicolai Firtha in Belfast. The 6ft 9in traveller of Irish descent captured the public’s imagination with his televised win over Dereck Chisora to claim the domestic title in July and was keen to build on that momentum at the famous King’s Hall on Saturday night.

Floyd Mayweather Jr maintained his perfect record with a controversial fourth-round knockout of Victor Ortiz at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Mayweather improved to 42-0 and claimed the WBC world welterweight title as he blasted Ortiz (29-3-2) to defeat amid sensational scenes.

Tyson Fury deposed British and Commonwealth champion Dereck Chisora over 12 brutal heavyweight rounds at Wembley Arena, but what is going on with the GOD thing pal?

David Haye’s pre-fight bluffing backfired on Saturday night as bitter rival Wladimir Klitschko easily outpointed him in a one-sided heavyweight unification clash in rain-soaked Hamburg.

Amir Khan retained his WBA light-welterweight title with a thrilling points victory over Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas on Saturday night. Khan floored Maidana with a sickening body shot in the opening round at Mandalay Bay, but his willingness to stand and trade with the explosive Argentine left him in severe trouble more than once.

Enzo Maccarinelli needed emergency treatment in the ring after being knocked out in the seventh round of his European cruiserweight title fight with Germany’s Alexander Frenkel. Maccarinelli was knocked out cold in Birmingham and endured five worrying minutes on the canvas after referee Erkki Meronen had amazingly allowed the Welshman to continue after suffering an initial heavy knockdown.

Kell Brook extended his unbeaten record to 22 fights and retained his WBO intercontinental welterweight title with a fifth-round win over Michael Jennings in Birmingham. Sheffield fighter Brook landed a left hand which opened a serious cut around Jennings’ left eye and with blood beginning to pour from the wound referee Terry O’Connor took a quick look before waving the contest off.

Nathan Cleverly kept his unbeaten record intact with an impressive stoppage of Karo Murat in their world-title eliminator. The Welsh light-heavyweight put on a fine display of front-foot fighting to become the first man to beat the German, a former European champion.