By Elliot Foster

Anthony Crolla had the perfect gameplan as he scored a stoppage win to retain his world title and stake his claim as potentially the best in the division on the world stage.

The Manchester lightweight, 29, ended the challenge of mandatory challenger Ismael Barroso inside seven rounds at Manchester Arena, live on Sky Sports.

Crolla, who won the belt with a five-round stoppage of Darleys Pérez last November, dazzled in front of his home crowd, producing something of a punch-perfect performance to stop a man who many though would dethrone the champ with ease.

Going into the fight, ‘Million Dollar’ was the underdog and Barroso, who stopped Kevin Mitchell in London in December to move into the mandatory position, was expected to blast the New Moston man out in similar fashion to what he did to the aforementioned Londoner Mitchell.

But Crolla and his coach Joe Gallagher had their tactics spot-on and nullified the threat of the Venezuelan early on.

However, the nullification of Barroso’s threat didn’t –– as many thought it would –– lead to Crolla neglecting his own defences and he managed to use his defence effectively while launching his own attacks with great success.

Barroso began the fight on the front foot, going all-out and trying to end Crolla’s reign in the early stages of the showdown, which was flanked by something of a paltry undercard.

In doing so, though, the visitor blew himself out, punched himself out and Crolla, with his tight defences and short bursting attacks, took over and built up a head of steam after coming from behind in the opening third.

It was round six, though, in which Crolla stamped his authority as he pushed Barroso back, forced him onto the defensive and didn’t allow him to have any successful spells.

And the seventh round was the end. An innocuous left hand to the body took everything from Barroso, who was counted out by the referee after one minute and 31 seconds of the round, yet still writhing on the canvas in agony for some time afterwards.

Afterwards, Crolla said: "I told [my promoter] Eddie Hearn after this fight was made that I'd beat him. It got my back up saying I was going to avoid him.

"This is my house and nobody comes into my house and takes what I've got. [My coach] Joe [Gallagher] got [the tactics] bang on. I think he [Barroso] tried to get me out of there in three but I'm improving all the time and I showed tonight I'm up there with any lightweight in the world.

"He hit as hard as I've been hit but I felt there was no way I could be denied tonight.

“My whole team has pushed me into the best shape of my career and there was no way the belt was leaving Manchester tonight.

"I was never hurt but I felt a few shots.”

ON THE UNDERCARD

Martin Murray warmed up for his big domestic fight with George Groves next month by picking up a stoppage victory.

The St Helens super-middleweight, a four-time world title challenger, will take on the Hammersmith puncher in seven weeks’ time, but he still had to get tonight’s job done.

Murray took less than two rounds to get rid of Belgium’s Cedric Spera on the undercard of Anthony Crolla’s WBA lightweight title defence against Ismael Barroso, live on Sky Sports, at the Manchester Arena.

Spera couldn’t keep Murray away in the opener but somehow managed to see it through until the break.

But it was the second round that proved to be the end as Murray dropped his man twice before Phil Edwards had seen enough.

The one-sided victory sets up the Groves showdown, which takes place on June 25 at London’s O2 Arena as part of the undercard to Anthony Joshua’s IBF heavyweight title defence against America’s undefeated Dominic Breazeale, and it’s a fight that Murray has every chance of winning as we head into it.

Earlier in the card, Hosea Burton warmed up for his British title defence later this month with a stoppage victory.

The Joe Gallagher-trained light-heavyweight, 27, is set to defend his domestic crown against Liverpool’s Tony Dodson on May 29 at Goodison Park and he stopped Michal Ludwiczak, of Poland, who was finished early for the first time, with two seconds remaining of the fourth round after two knockdowns.

And Warren Baister extended his pro ledger to 4-0 (3 KOs) with a one-round blowout of Czech opponent Stanislav Eschner, who is now 1-1, after just two minutes and 18 seconds.

Baister, a former Team GB member, is now set for action again in three weeks’ time at the Rainton Meadows Arena.

Marcus Morrison claimed his first professional title with an impressive showing in his home city.

The 23-year-old is now 11-0 (8 KOs) and picked up the vacant WBC International Silver middleweight trinket after dazzling at the Manchester Arena, live on Sky Sports, as part of the supporting cast to Anthony Crolla’s WBA lightweight title defence against Ismael Barroso.

Morrison, nicknamed ‘Sweet MNM’, advanced his record against Brazil’s Jefferson Luiz De Souza.

He was originally set for an eight-round showdown on the bill at his natural weight of super-welterweight, but he added the six pounds to his physique earlier on fight week after learning of this fringe title opportunity against the 34-year-old, who is now 16-2-2 (10 KOs).

The hometown man began proceedings with a statement of intent, taking less than three minutes to score the first knockdown of the fight after unleashing a sensational two-punch right uppercut, left hand combination and forcing his overmatched opponent to the canvas.

And Morrison continued his dominance going into the second stanza as it was just 40 seconds before the referee was forced to call a halt to the fight after De Souza was stunned by a left hand and Morrison took full advantage, dropping his man with a right and putting a swift end to the contest.

Meanwhile, Callum Johnson moved to 14-0 (9 KOs) after securing a stoppage in his first outing for nearly 11 months.

The Boston light-heavyweight ended the challenge of Richard Horton, who is now 10-8 (1 KO) in just 78 seconds of the first round of their scheduled six-rounder, scoring three knockdowns.

And former Prizefighter champion Jono Carroll is now in double figures (10-0, 1 KO) in the pro game after decisioning Jordan Ellison.

Carroll, who is from Dublin and fights out of Packie Collins’ Celtic Warriors gym, got the decision by 60 points to 55 on the ref’s scorecard against the 20-year-old Sunderland-born puncher, who slipped to 5-4 (1 KO).

Paul Smith made a successful return to the ring in the North West.

The pundit moved to 36-6 (21 KOs) and improved his record after 11 months out of the ring in the opening fight on the undercard of Anthony Crolla’s WBA lightweight title defence against Ismael Barroso, which will be screened on Sky Sports, at the Manchester Arena.

Smith campaigns at super middleweight when in championship action and took just three rounds to get rid of vastly overmatched Czech opponent Bronislav Kubin, who slipped to 18-19-2 (11).

It was reasonably straightforward for the 33-year-old, who won the first round comfortably.

The second round brought about more spite from the Liverpudlian as he scored two knockdowns.

But it was the third round which ultimately proved to be the end, causing an embrace between Smith and his coach Joe Gallagher –– who has three more fighters on the card –– as Smith scored another knockdown that meant the referee stopped the fight after just 45 seconds of the stanza.

He has been inactive since being stopped by Andre Ward inside nine rounds in Oakland, California last June, but Smith will now be looking to box regularly and keep active.

Boxing Scene understands that Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Sport will consider adding ‘Real Gone Kid’ to the Bank Holiday boxing bonanza at Goodison Park on May 29, which is headed up by the vacant WBC cruiserweight title showdown between Tony Bellew and Ilunga Makabu and features Stephen Smith in a vacant WBC Silver super featherweight title fight and ex-British and Commonwealth heavyweight king David Price.