By Elliot Foster

Josh Warrington retained his lofty world ranking and his fringe belt with a stoppage win in front of an adoring crowd.

The Leeds featherweight is still number one with the WBC and remains the custodian of the governing body’s International belt after securing a scintillating early ending of a former world title challenger.

Warrington moves onto 24-0 with five knockouts after producing a one-sided display to stop Patrick Hyland inside nine rounds at the First Direct Arena, exclusively live on Sky Sports.

He was almost punch perfect against the former WBC title challenger Hyland, who slipped to 31-3 with 15 early endings in defeat, but the Dubliner was game until the end and bordered on being brave –– and incredibly so –– before three knockdowns in what proved to be the final round became the unravelling.

Promoter Eddie Hearn has talked for some time about the ability of Warrington and wanting to take a world title fight to Leeds –– and with the Lee Selby fight seemingly off the table for the foreseeable future it would have to be against another champion.

There is still a lot to learn for Warrington, who is still just 25, but it now seems to be just a matter of time before the passionate pit of noise that is those Leeds fans is treated to the chance to see their man lift global honours after he outgunned ‘Pajo’, who failed to make the weight at the scales as he came in two pounds and six ounces over the nine-stone limit.

 "The world title shot should be here in Leeds,” promoter Hearn said afterwards. “The natural progression is to fight for a world title.

"If Lee Selby wants to fight, he's a great champion, we can do that in November here.

"Now is the right time. Josh is ready for a world title.”