Tuesday 31 May 2016 09:35, UK
Tony Bellew stole the show with his world title win at Goodison Park but there were valuable lessons for all the British fighters on Sunday night.
Stephen, Callum and Paul Smith all registered victories in their home city while David Price also returned to form - although they were out-shone by Bellew's knockout heroics.
Five talking points from another dramatic night...
Only when the stakes are highest does the true fighter within a boxer emerge, and Bellew proved he is a natural knockout artist with a reaction that won him a world championship.
Sensing Makabu had felt the force of a third-round left hook, Bellew made a choice that usually wouldn't be advisable. He rolled the dice and threw as many punches as he could, missing occasionally but landing damaging shots. Had Makabu not crashed to the ground, Bellew might have emptied his gas tank with another 27 minutes to box.
It might not be a method taught to aspiring boxers for fear of punching yourself out and becoming helpless against an opponent full of energy. But fairytale moments rarely follow protocol, and Bellew's hot-headed recklessness paid off in spectacular fashion.
The worry with Bellew, particularly in front of thousands of Evertonians, was that his sheer passion could work against him. His trainer Dave Coldwell was clearly asking him to calm down as the first bell approached. In the end, that gamble gave Bellew his greatest moment.
Everything was set up perfectly for Callum Smith to provide his home crowd with a mid-evening thrill during a straightforward stroll-out while he awaits his world title shot. His fight did not go to plan, despite an eventual stoppage win, yet Smith may have learned far more than he bargained for.
Cesar Reynoso, his travelling opponent, was five inches shorter and lacked much spite in his punches but was a pest throughout five-and-a-half rounds that may have exposed minor flaws in Smith. The heavy-handed Liverpool banger had wiped out far sterner opposition within one round yet Reynoso climbed off the canvas three times before he was stopped on his feet.
When the frustration wanes, Callum will have received an unkind reminder that he can't become complacent and rely on the power that overwhelmed Rocky Fielding and Hadillah Mohoumadi. He is mandatory to Badou Jack's WBC super-middleweight title yet, for the first time, it seems he might benefit from not climbing the ladder too quickly. The world's elite 168lbs boxers may have raised an eyebrow at Callum's impatience against Reynoso.
Jack could be on a collision course with IBF holder James DeGale, meaning Callum would have to wait in line. That time could be used wisely for the 26-year-old who, in his next 'keep-busy' bout, should prioritise sensible boxing behind his jab. His power remains terrifying, but it's scarier when thrown unpredictably.
There was nothing about Stephen 'Swifty' Smith's world title defeat to Jose Pedraza last month that indicated he didn't belong at the pinnacle of the super-featherweight division. Had that ever been in doubt, he eradicated concern with a clinical win against Daniel Brizuela at Goodison.
Pedraza beat Smith, fair and square, but the difference was marginal and could be overcome. Back in action for the first time since then, Smith dismantled and eventually stopped Brizuela whose previous visits to Britain prove he is nobody's mug.
Brizuela had lost to Luke Campbell and Tommy Coyle but fully deserved his reputation as a rough-and-rugged spoiler. Smith bobbed and weaved around him with vastly quicker feet, relentlessly digging in body shots that would eventually be Brizuela's downfall. Smith might not possess a concussive punch but very few at 130lbs do - his busy style will be a danger anyone in the WBC ranks that he has targeted. Champion Francisco Vargas defends again Orlando Salido next and Smith is already in the mix to vie for that belt.
David Price had spent the past 10 months licking his wounds and returned at a career heaviest of 273lbs, a whopping 24lbs above his previous weigh-in. Out-of-shape? Not at all, just ask Tyson Fury.
"He's not out of shape," insisted trainer Dave Coldwell. "He's 6'9" and when you looked at him before he didn't look right. He's a massive unit. As time goes on, he'll be in better condition but if he can have speed as well as power, I'm happy with that."
There was certainly no visible fleshiness around Price's midriff, and he looked as solid as ever. It would not be unreasonable to compare the new-and-improved Price to Fury prior to his first Wladimir Klitschko fight, and that turned out alright despite the lack of a chiselled six-pack.
Questions continue to surround Price and he wasn't able to provide full answers in a second-round stoppage of Vaclav Pejsar. The full-time security guard from the Czech Republic was hardly likely to test Price's chin, which remains an Achilles' heel in the view of detractors. But at a time where heavyweight boxing has scarcely been more fashionable, Britain might have witnessed the rebirth of a colossal new contender who has never been fitter.
Every football fan dreams of representing their club, whether it be scoring a goal or scoring a knockout. But would you really want that pressure when you could just stay in the crowd, shouting the odds?
Bellew would never have been able to watch his beloved Everton again with the same fervour had he lost. The hopes of his city and his football club were piled onto his shoulders before a difficult fight against a credible opponent. When they stood at close quarters, swinging from the hips, the blue blood of Bellew may just have given him extra strength when he needed it most.
Of course, for every stunning Bellew moment there is a heartbreak, such as Kevin Mitchell who lost to Michael Katsidis at Upton Park six years ago. It's not easy, when your football club's prestigious colours adorn your boxing shorts.
