Scott Quigg blasted Kiko Martinez away inside two rounds to better Carl Frampton’s result against the rugged Spaniard.

The WBA super-bantamweight’s long-time rival Frampton had defeated Martinez twice but not with the ferocity that Quigg delivered.

The 26-year-old initially did damage with a right uppercut that buckled Martinez’s knees, spelling the beginning of the end to the delight of a partisan crowd in Manchester.

Sensing an early finish, Quigg unleashed a barrage of right and left hooks to bludgeon the tough ex-IBF champion.

Martinez gritted his teeth but the WBA king landed a wide, looping right hand that clipped him on the chin and sent him sprawling – although the Spanish puncher returned to his feet the referee sensed he was in no state to continue and called the fight off.

Quigg had spent the first round on the back foot after Martinez exploded out of the blocks, stalking him around the ring and peppering jabs to his face - only for the Bury puncher to respond ferociously in the following period.

“In the first round I tested his power and I knew he would gain a bit of confidence. In the second it set it up for the shot we had been working for. And it was a peach of an uppercut," said Quigg, who improves to 31-0-2 (23KOs)

"I looked a bit wild, but kept as calm as possible and finished him. The first round was how we knew it would be. He was very nervous, so he was sharp and on edge, and I had to see what he was doing. But I got my range and we knew he would come out quicker in the second and knew he would walk on to my shot.

“I was expecting 12 tortuous rounds. This is my life and I was welling up in the ring because hopefully now I will get some credit. This is everything I've worked for as a kid.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn added: "I'm just pleased Scott Quigg finally gets the respect he deserves. His stock's going to keep on rising and obviously the Carl Frampton fight's the one everyone wants."

The WBA titleholder remains on course to box fellow super-bantamweight standouts Nonito Donaire or Belfast's Frampton, who was put down twice in the opening round but battled back to retain his IBF super bantamweight title with a wide-margin points win over Alejandro Gonzalez Jr in El Paso on Saturday night.