Tony Bellew praised the intervention of referee Mark Lyson during Terri Harper’s surprise defeat to Alycia Baumgadner on Saturday night.
Harper surrendered her WBC super featherweight champion after Lyson callled the fight off during the fourth round.
The Briton had struggled to match her opponent and was on the back foot as early as the second round. Two rounds later, the new champion caught Harper with a solid right-hander.
Harper was rendered motionless and was unable to defend herself as Baumgardner readied a left hook. Lyson then stepped in as he registered Harper could have been at serious risk of injury.
DAZN pundit Bellew said after the fight that: “The most important thing I’d like to recognise is the great job Mark Lyson done there.
“Because Terri Harper is asleep on her feet.
“And the second punch that Mark Lyson stops [from] landing clean, that could’ve really done damage to Terri Harper there.
“Mark Lyson deserves all the credit in the world. It was a brilliant, brilliant call."