Anthony Crolla catches his man early in the round to keep his man on the back foot.

Ismael Barroso goes down to a heavy body shot...

And he is not getting up...

Anthony Crolla with a ramrod right hand has Ismael Barroso wobbled!

The crowd bay for more, sensing wounded prey.

Barroso suddenly looks a lame duck, his legs wobbling under him and the punches drying to a trickle.

Crolla's momentum is checked by a warning for a low blow, but Barroso flops to the canvas almost drained.

No knockdown, but Barroso looks wiped out.

Barroso's first defeat looks like it is in the post.

Image source, PA

Anthony Crolla lands an uppercut. And then a chunky body shot. Ismael Barroso is wanging wild and windy. Still dangerous, but increasingly off target.

Crolla is marching down his man. Advancing straight into the Venezuelan and throwing tight, precise combinations.

Barroso blows hard as the bell sounds. He trudges back to his corner. Has he fired his best shots already?

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Both men stand and trade in the centre of the ring in a thrilling round.

A solid left hand from Anthony Crolla snaps back the neck of Ismael Barroso, but the home fighter is walking a tightrope. Barroso's power means that the fight could be over in an instant.

Crolla soaks it up, but there is some collateral. He has a cut over his right eye. Joe Gallagher - his trainer - tells Crolla that Barroso has bust a gut in these early round and that payback will be coming if Crolla hangs tough.

Image source, Getty Images

Ismael Barroso is grunting and yelping with the effort that he is putting into his punches in these early rounds. He wants an early exit to the winners' enclosure.

Crolla lands a good shot, there is some more spice in return from Barosso though who catches his man with a good body shot.

Crolla finds a response to the reply as Barroso is briefly stunned by an uppercut. 

Barroso comes back with more fire. An even, entertaining round. Crolla smiles as he heads to his corner. Barroso has been putting plenty out there. Will he pay for that in later rounds? If Crolla makes it there...   

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Ismael Barroso makes a fast start to the second, taking the initiative with some busy flurries. Anthony Crolla has to take shelter behind a closed guard and soak up some punishment.

How much is getting through? The forehead of the Manchester man is reddening, but his chin has not been tested so far.

Crolla probably saw that round slip away on the scorecards, but he is in for the long haul. Barroso's durability might be his Achilles heel.

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The Swiss judge from the Chisora fight certainly raised a few eyebrows in the office...

Manchester Arena is absolutely humming.

It is just the two fighters now though, alone amid the hubbub.  Anthony Crolla takes the centre of the ring, standing his ground and sending Ismael Barroso on the long route around the perimeter.

A solid right hand from Crolla lands, but he is keeping it tight and tidy in the opener against the heavy, heavy hands of Barroso.

The Venezuelan is looking sharp, leather darting at Crolla like a cobra strike.

He didn't land with much, but maybe took that round on style as much as anything.

Image source, Getty Images

Ismael Barroso hammers his fist together and loops his shoulders round their rotator cuffs as he is announced to the crowd. And grins broadly.

Anthony 'Million Dollar' Crolla bites down hard on his gumshield.

Can he take the power of the southpaw challenger?

Let's find out... 

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American silver fox Michael Buffer is on the microphone duties. 

As he runs through the small print of the fight, a well-oiled Manchester crowd are bellowing their man's name.

Ismael Barroso stares on impassively.

Anthony Crolla, speaking to Sky Sports: "I feel fantastic, even better than when I won the title. Training was fantastic and I can’t wait to get in there. I don’t feel any added pressure – I still prepare as though I’m the challenger.

"From what I’ve seen of Barroso, he’s very good and heavy handed but he’s never gone past eight rounds and everybody he’s hit on the chin has rolled over. I’m going to take him into deep waters, places he’s not been before."

Right, some people go out and party on Saturday nights. Others - like us here at BBC Sport towers - get a load of different flags and make them into a collage. Below are the flags of six countries in which Ismael Barroso has fought (he's also appeared in the UK and USA). But which countries are they? We'll give you the answer below..

The flags are, top row (l-r): Venezuela, Costa Rica, Nicaragua. Bottom row: Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama.

Get all six? You're clearly very intelligent...

Anthony Crolla makes his way to the ring to the backing of Seven Nation Army and Hometown Glory. 

He looks cool and confident.

Let's see if that lasts.

Time to get the party started over in Manchester Arena.

Ismael Barroso makes his way to the ring to the back of an upbeat south American number that barely drowns out the jeers from the home crowd.

Now for the champion....

And Dereck Chisora was lucky to get even one scorecard. 

The Swiss judge rules it, inexplicably, 115-113 in favour of Dereck Chisora.

The other two have it right, 118-110 and 116-112.

Image source, Getty Images

Dereck Chisora's right eye is almost completely shut. His corner peel the gloves off their man. Kubrat Pulev already has the Bulgarian flag draped over his shoulder in preparation of the verdict.

Chisora seeks out his man for a tap on the shoulder and there is the briefest acknowledgement between the two fighters.

Here come the scorecards.

Dereck Chisora fights on just for the honour of taking the defeat from the judges rather than his opponent. The Briton looks out on his feet now. The Kubrat Pulev jab is finding the mark, Chisora is looking down to ringside out of his one good eye.

The final round must seem to take an age for Chisora and he wheels around the ring, surviving on his wits.

Chisora puts up his glove on the final bell. Pulev throws back his head and laughs. 

Dereck Chisora needs to find something special in his locker now. The Briton has been chipped down to the bodywork by Kubrat Pulev's relentless nibbling jab though.

Pulev looks the more likely to bring this to an early end. Chisora has some heavy swelling over his eye and Pulev is teeing off on the Londoner as he backs him into a corner.

Chisora looks like his race is run. That ninth round looks like a footnote rather than where the fight turned. The Briton needs a knockout in the last. And there has been no sign of it so far. 

Dereck Chisora still has a bit of energy for clowning - holding his pose for a quarter-second after missing by a mile with a haymaker right hand.

The Briton needs to get to work though. Time is ticking out. Pulev is wearing down the clock with some crafty grapple and grip as well.

Pulev catches Chisora with a shot right on the bell. He offers a glove of apology. Chisora ignores it and takes a seat instead.