By Chris Williamson, photo by Lawrence Lustig

O2 Arena, London - Callum Johnson sensationally ripped the British light-heavyweight title from Frank Buglioli while successfully defending his commonwealth championship here at the O2 with a first round stoppage in front of a crowd who had barely caught breath from the Ritson vs Cardle thriller.

Buglioni had been on a streak of ruining undefeated records, having blotted the ledgers of Hosea Burton, Ricky Summers and Craig Richards shortly after a spirited but unsuccessful ‘world’ title challenge down at super middleweight back in 2015.

Johnson (17-0, 12 KOs), who'd been sidelined since winning the Commonwealth title eighteen months ago knocking out Willbeforce Shihepo in nine rounds in Manchester, made up for lost time hurting ’The Wise Guy’ from the outset until a final short right hook had Buglioni staggering across the ring to prompt referee Victor Loughlan to end the contest.

Buglioni (21-3-1, 15 KOs) complained bitterly before reacting with class once he’d gathered his thoughts and watched a replay and both can play leading parts in what is a red-hot division domestically.  

Also on the card, London welterweight prospect Chris ‘2 Slick’ Kongo registered a scrappy, tricky victory over Cameroon’s Sheffield-based Serge Ambono to register his seventh straight win. Kongo didn’t have proceedings all his own way, with the squat Ambono forcing his way in close to catch the local man with short right hooks in particular throughout the contest.

Kongo is a skilful boxer who appears to have all the tools required and won the fight 60-55 but could have made life much easier for himself by keeping the right at longer range. Ambomo drops to 6-6. 

British champion Lewis ‘Sandman' Ritson underlined his dominance of the domestic lightweight division with a thrilling second round stoppage win over former champ Scott Cardle here at London’s O2 arena.

Cardle set a ferocious pace winning the first round, landing with several jarring hooks and uppercuts before the champion steadied himself and landed a terrific left hook to register a knockdown in the second.

Ritson is vicious when he smells blood and a series of follow up hooks had Cardle wobbling and prompted his trainer Joe Gallagher to throw in the towel as the referee signalled the end of a breathtaking shootout.