In all honesty, I can't see any positives for N'Dam so far, other than the fact he is still in there.

N'Dam has been unable to land anything of note in these opening six minutes. Quite frankly, it's a surprise he gets to hear the bell for the end of the second.

That's two 10-8 rounds for Smith at the start of this scheduled 12-rounder.

The rapid-fire Smith left is just proving too good and too powerful. Smith said he was looking for a statement fight. He's fighting a two-time world champion and he is making a statement indeed.

We continue, that's twice N'Dam has walked on to cracking left hooks.

Another crushing left hook. Beautiful shot.

Steve Bunce
BBC Radio 5 Live boxing pundit at Madison Square Garden

Terrific shot by Callum Smith. With 25 seconds left he let his hands go and he is that dangerous.

He has spoke all week about wanting to make an impression here and that is a good start.

N'Dam is wrestled to the canvas, but no shot and no count. But, still, an amazing start for Callum Smith. Round one over, into number two.

A heavy left hook. N'Dam goes down and he does well to get up, His legs instantly look shaky, somehow he gathers his senses quick enough to stay in it. A great shot from the world champion.

It's Callum Smith who has plonked himself in the middle of the ring, with his opponent, in some flamboyant white and black shorts, on the backfoot. Smith is the much taller fighter, N'Dam can't get close.

Here we go, round one.

It has already been an incredible sporting night for the city of Liverpool. It could get even better.

Wonder how many fans in Madrid have found an all-night sports bar to watch this one?

Steve Bunce
BBC Radio 5 Live boxing pundit at Madison Square Garden

Hassan N'Dam is not a shock fighter. It is a good enough test but it's all about how Callum Smith finishes this fight and gets him out of there.

Callum Smith

• Age 29, fights 25, wins 25 (KOs 18), losses 0

Hassan N'Dam

• Age 35, fights 40, wins 37 (KOs 21), losses 3

French-Cameroonian N'Dam, 35, has 37 wins from 40 fights and showed his durability in beating Britain's Martin Murray last time out.

This is some challenge ahead of Callum Smith.

Luke Reddy
BBC Sport at Madison Square Garden

Image source, .

Right, I get it now. This whole Madison Square Garden thing. A certain fizz in the air, a certain glow to proceedings.

Lewis, Tyson, Frazier, Ali, Foreman, they’ve all done it here.

When you think a fighter starts hitting a bag in what is normal the spit and sawdust surroundings of a local gym, it’s some journey.

Image source, .

Callum Smith delivered on longstanding expectations he would become a world champion when he stopped George Groves to land the title in the World Boxing Super Series final in September.

The Liverpudlian has since become a father for the first time and said competing at Madison Square Garden will be something he will tell his children about in years to come.

"This is very special," Smith added. "It's special wherever really to defend a world title for a first time. But Madison Square Garden ticks a lot of boxes. It's the history of it going way back, an iconic venue.

"On the night it's just a ring, you get in there and switch off but it's always nice to look back on these things.

"Before, Groves' people wrote me off, saying it was a step too far. That was a lot of pressure for myself. Now it's turned around and people expect of me. It's something I have got used to. There has been hype around me always and I feel in some ways the Groves thing brought out the best of me and this will be no different."

Luke Reddy
BBC Sport at Madison Square Garden

Image source, .

I bumped into the Smith brothers at a bar earlier.

The Liverpudlians were watching their team but brother Callum - who defends his world title tonight - was resting up at the hotel.

Probably for the best when you’re about to trade leather!

WBA super-middleweight champion Callum Smith says anything other than an eye-catching win over Hassan N'Dam could see his hopes of fighting Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez "smashed to bits".

Smith, 29, defends his world title for the first time against N'Dam, while Alvarez, who holds three middleweight world titles, has mentioned Smith's name as a potential opponent.

"I can't say I want to fight Canelo and then stink the place out," Smith said.

Speaking to 5 Live's Mike Costello and Steve Bunce in New York, he added: "My name coming out of Canelo's mouth, I must be doing something right.

"There is pressure for people to watch and say I may be the man to beat Canelo. If I don't do it on the weekend, those hopes are smashed to bits."

Jordan: Best women's fight I've ever seen. One of the worst decisions though.

John: She did not win that match. End of story...

Ben: Robbery

David Haye
Former world heavyweight champion on BBC Radio 5 live

That is not the sight you want to see where someone has given everything in the gym but they do not get the decision because of the political power.

Delfine Persoon is going to be heartbroken by that.