Conor Benn KOs Samuel Vargas in stunning first round win

Conor Benn stopped Samuel Vargas in the first round to record the biggest win of his career so far.

Vargas had lost only at the highest level before facing Benn, most recently to rising star Vergil Ortiz Jr and also to Amir Khan three years ago.

Benn has improved immeasurably since his professional debut and was unbeaten in 17 fights before walking to the ring at the Copper Box Arena.

And he needed less than two minutes to stop Vargas, forcing the referee to step in following a vicious barrage of punches.

"Give me Amir Khan. I know he's too busy on reality TV. If he wants it, he can have it," said Benn. "I can deal with pressure. I can cope with it. I can live with it, no problem.

"I'm the most rapidly improved fighters globally."

"I'm putting the Benn name back where it belongs, and that's on top. I'm the best welterweight in the country."

On the undercard, Savannah Marshall made a successful first defence of her middleweight world with a third-round stoppage of late-replacement opponent Maria Lindberg.

In doing so Marshall kept alive her hopes of a clash with American Claressa Shields, and said: "I punch too hard for Claressa Shields… she doesn't want to know, she isn't interested."

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Shannon Courtenay was crowned bantamweight world champion after a bruising clash with Ebanie Bridges.

Courtenay was given the nod by all thee judges thanks to scores of 97-94 and 98-92 twice, and said: "I boxed nicer, I have cuter shots, I landed the jab every time. She just tried to knock me out. My jab won me the fight, her eye shows that."

There were also victories for Kash Farooq over Alexander Espinoza and for prospects Nick Campbell and John Hedges.

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