NASEEM HAMED apologised to 8,000 Glasgow fight followers for just 35 seconds of world championship action on Saturday night but insisted: "Any opponent I hit like that would have gone the same way."
Hamed's quick fire stoppage of hapless Said Lawal, in his first defence of the WBO feather weight title he took from Steve Robinson, was jeered by sections of a crowd who minutes earlier had given him a tremendous reception into the ring.
Lawal was floored by the first punch of the fight, a right hook. A right uppercut put him down again and referee Ismael Fernandez jumped in to call a halt.
The Nigerian challenger's credentials always looked suspect. He had never boxed out of his Austrian base and simply froze in the intimidating atmosphere of a packed Scottish Exhibition Centre.
Hamed predicted a second round win with the left hook. Instead he produced one of the fastest ever world title wins in the division with the hand which had kept him out of the ring for nearly six months.
"There was some stupid stuff beforehand that my career was on the ropes and I wanted to prove to everyone that the hand was perfect," he said.
"I saw the opening and went for it. I'm sorry for the fans but it was going to be an early night anyway. It's about pressing that button and hitting properly and precisely.
"Those were great shots. You could have put anyone in there with me and the result would have been the same."
Now Hamed wants to ensure there are no questions asked about the quality of future opponents. "From now on I'm interested only in big fights. I don't want people without titles," he declared.
He is sticking to an audacious target of three more world crowns before the end of the year, starting with IBF holder Tom Johnson.
Brendan Ingle, the man who has honed this extraordinary talent, believes he can even win titles all the way up to middleweight.
Ingle said: "come people at the back of the hall were getting upset because they couldn't see just how damaging those punches were.
"The first shot broke the guy's nose and the referee was right to stop it or he could have been seriously hurt.
"It was so toast that it you blinked you missed it absolutely brilliant. Lawal was no idiot, but how do you fight this fellow?
"Naz has it all power, accuracy, rhythm, balance. He is bringing back all the qualities of Muhammad Al and Ray Leonard."
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