By Elliot Foster

Liam Smith didn’t put a foot wrong as he kept hold of his world title.

The Liverpool super-welterweight, 27, retained his WBO crown with a two-round stoppage over Predrag Radosevic.

Smith, who is now 23-0-1 (13 KOs) ended the challenge of the unknown Montenegrin, who slips to 30-2 (11 KOs) at the ECHO Arena, exclusively live on BoxNation.

He looked dazzling as the end came after 94 seconds of the second stanza but now ‘Beefy’ can look ahead to bigger and better things.

Radosevic was incredibly disappointing in the fight but was ultimately beaten by the better man on the night, who wasn’t ready to let the carrot being dangled in front of him get snatched away at the last available opportunity.

The unbeaten Scouser has said in the build-up that a fight with former WBC middleweight champ Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez was close to being made.

And now a fight with ‘Canelo’, who knocked out Amir Khan inside six rounds last month in Las Vegas, seems even closer following what was a scintillating, punch-perfect display.

“Any of the names anyone keeps mentioning,” Smith told BoxNation, “I’d fight any single one of them tomorrow.

“I pray to God one of those fights can be made because I think that’ll be the making of me.”

Boxing Scene understands that a fight with Alvarez is close and could be agreed in the next seven days.

Promoter Frank Warren went some way to confirming that, mentioning to Alex Steedman that Smith will be in a “big, big fight in the autumn.”

Aside from Alvarez, Miguel Cotto, the former world champion, and the Charlo twins –– who hold the WBC and IBF belts respectively –– are also on Smith’s radar, while Erislandy Lara, the WBA titlist, is also in the mix.

“People who know me know that I have never knocked back a fight and I want the big fights.”

ON THE UNDERCARD

Karim Guerfi sent shockwaves through the bantamweight division as he stopped Ryan Farrag

The Frenchman landed a precise left hand in the third round at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool, as part of the undercard to Liam Smith’s WBO super-welterweight title defence against Predrag Radosevic.

Guerfi, who was chinned by Zhanat Zhakiyanov in Sheffield in April, 2014, ensured that Farrag –– who drops to 15-2 (4 KOs) –– was sprawled onto the canvas and his senses were scrambled enough for him not to be able to get to his feet, exclusively live on BoxNation.

Farrag took the opener with ease, but after that, and with the pace the fight was being fought at, Guerfi stayed on him, in his face and dominated, making him miss, before securing a 9-10 round before ripping away the European bantamweight crown from the Scouser in devastating fashion.

Meanwhile, Tom Stalker put in an impressive display to claim his first career title.

The former standout amateur, 31, picked up the vacant WBO European lightweight title at the fourth time of asking.

Stalker, who is now 11-1-3 (2 KOs), had his Portuguese opponent Antonio Joao Bento on the seat of his pants in round six and, despite both men being cut in the fight, he showed his pedigree as he boxed both from range and up close before being handed the decision by margins of 100-89, 99-90 and 100-89 against the 39-year-old who genuinely had designs on winning but just came up short as he slipped to 30-16-2 (18 KOs).

Zolani Tete maintained his stoppage run with another early finish.

The South African, 27, dominated Mexico’s Victor Ruiz (now 21-6, 15 KOs) over seven of 12 scheduled rounds, exclusively live on BoxNation.

Tete, who is now 24-3 (20 KOs), retained his IBF International bantamweight crown at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool, as part of the undercard to Liam Smith’s WBO super-welterweight title defence against Predrag Radosevic.

He was in total control, the man who has been dubbed the ‘Scouse African’ after being adopted by the Merseyside fight public, and he was comfortable throughout.

Next for Tete is to try and get a shot at Lee Haskins, the world champion with the governing body, but it remains to be seen whether that fight can be made.

After the fight, his promoter Frank Warren revealed that discussions have taken place between his son, George, and Haskins’ manager Chris Sanigar with regards to the fight taking place.

Liam Williams set up a Cardiff showdown in a defence of his British super-welterweight title.

The Clydach Vale man, 24, is also the Commonwealth king but he made easy work of his latest outing, exclusively live on BoxNation.

Williams, who is now 14-0-1 (9 KOs), stopped Gustavo Sanchez –– who slips to 12-13-1 (4 KOs) –– inside three rounds at the ECHO Arena in Liverpool, as part of the undercard to Liam Smith’s WBO super-welterweight title defence against Predrag Radosevic.

He will come up against Gary Corcoran, the WBO Inter-Continental champion at the weight, in the first defence of the Lonsdale belt he won against Kris Carslaw back in December in Manchester, on July 16 in Cardiff.

The venue for the showdown has yet to be confirmed, but promoter Frank Warren’s office are expected to make a formal announcement about the card next week.

Meanwhile, Steven Lewis and Josh Leather each secured stoppage victories against respective opposition in the super-lightweight division.

Lewis moved to 11-0, with six early endings, with a final-round finish against Marek Laskowski, the Aberdeen-based Pole who slips to 7-6-1 (1 KO), while Leather, who knocked down his opponent in the first and third rounds, ended the challenge of Henry Janes in that third stanza.

And there were wins for Kevin Satchell and Declan Geraghty.