Denzel Bentley made a devastating return to the ring as he destroyed Kieran Smith in just 45 seconds.

The 28-year-old has not boxed since he was outpointed by WBO middleweight champion Janibek Alimkhanuly in what was his first world title shot in November.

But Bentley made his return at domestic level at the Copper Box and proved he is a cut above with this searing showing against Smith.

The southpaw Scotsman was 18-1 when he arrived in London but this challenge for Bentley’s British title never really got started.

Instead he shipped a savage left hook which sent him stumbling backwards. Bentley immediately smelt blood and fired a straight right hand to the body before closing the show with a huge right hook upstairs.

Smith dropped heavily and had no chance of beating the count. He was in so much trouble after referee Mark Lyson had stopped the contest that Bentley decided against celebrating and waited in the neutral corner until Smith had managed to sit up.

Bentley said: “45 seconds… I’m just happy he’s ok. It was a bit cagey at the start so I thought I’d let him throw first and I was catching it on the gloves. 

“I feinted a right hand to the body and caught him with the left hook when I came up. I was expecting a tricky fight too but the difference is I’ve been at that level.

“Since my last defeat I’ve grown a lot, I’ve realized I want it bad - I want to be a world champion bad.

“I’ve matured in myself, I’ve learned how to not rush things and to slow things down. Every fight I’ve been learning and I learned from tonight too.”

Watching on from ringside was current Commonwealth middleweight champion Hamzah Sheeraz, who is also promoted by Frank Warren.

When asked whether he would like to fight Sheeraz next, Bentley said: “Let’s do it. It would be an interesting fight, I rate Hamzah a lot.

“We used to spar a lot - but there’s no friends out here.”