Terry Flanagan has won the vacant British lightweight title after forcing Martin Gethin to retire on his stool at the end of the seventh round.

Gethin had lost the British strap to Derry Mathews earlier this year, but after the Liverpudlian vacated the belt, the Walsall fighter was given the opportunity to reclaim the title against the unbeaten Flanagan.

It was Flanagan who started the fight off in a positive manner, using his fast-hand skills to keep Gethin at bay and open a cut under his opponent's eye.

With the uncertainty over his injury, Gethin upped his work rate but in the seventh round, Flanagan connected with a left hook that had the West Midlands man in trouble.

Gethin made it to the end of the round, but the decision was made to withdraw him from the fight as Flanagan extended his professional record to 25 successive wins.