Promoter Eddie Hearn on Twitter after the eighth round: "Leigh Wood is four rounds of danger away from becoming a two-time World Champ.

Lawrence Okolie hugs and congratulates Chris Billam-Smith, with the judges ruling the right 112-112, 116-107, 115-108.

Billam-Smith looks very emotional as he speaks to Sky Sports in the ring: "I don't know what has just happened. My life has just gone so quick and come to this moment. This is perfect, against a great champion and friend who has never been close to being beaten.

"It wasn't the most entertaining fight but I think I did enough to win it."

Image source, PA Media

A punch can change everything in a second, but this is proving to be quite routine at the moment for Wood, who, as is stands, is three rounds away from getting the WBA World Featherweight Championship back.

The ninth comes and goes without Lara able to make any dent in the Englishman's defences and it is another one in the bag for Wood.

Ronald McIntosh
Boxing commentator on BBC Radio 5 Live

'There is no work coming from Mauricio Lara at all!"

The corner team have done a good job in tidying up the cut by the left eye of Wood and the Briton takes another round. It is eight gone, and Wood is in control.

But that doesn't mean he can take the foot off the gas, as the first fight between the two showed.

Barry Jones
Former world champion on BBC Radio 5 live

"I thought Leigh Wood absolutely boxed Lara's ears off in that round. Absolutely fantastic. Lara is boxing like a man, arrogance of a puncher, but he's just not doing any work."

Chris Billam-Smith is the new WBO cruiserweight champion!

He wins via majority decision and falls to his knees in tears as the crowd roars in delight.

What a fight, what a win.

Image source, Reuters

There is to be no repeat of February, when Leigh Wood's world title hopes ended in round number seven.

He doesn't just survive the seventh this time, he probably takes it too, aided by a beautifully timed right uppercut and left hook combination when Lara tried to move forwards.

Image source, Getty Images

Billam-Smith stands on ropes in the corner and laps up the applause from the fans.

We're still waiting for the final scores but there's no doubt in his mind who has won this.

Former WBC cruiserweight champion Tony Bellew speaking on DAZN: "It's pretty one-sided, Leigh is in complete control. But we saw that in the first fight.

"Leigh has been impressive, the knockdown was really impressive. Now he has to keep control, he can't allow Lara to get any momentum."

A right to the body followed by a snap left hook is some lovely work from Wood in the opening minute of the sixth. But Lara is still bouncing around, still burying the body shots.

The Mexican is also gaining some success with the counter punches to the head, with the cut near the eye a very prominent target.

However, Lara is behind on the cards and looks to increase the pace late on in the sixth, but Wood is still alert enough to dance out of the way of a couple of swinging attempts from the away fighter.

On to round seven. This was the round where Lara beat Wood back in February.

No! The bell goes and the home crowd roars. We've to wait for the scorecards but they firmly believe that Billam-Smith has this.

Into the final few seconds and Okolie needs to pull something out of the bag here. Has he got one-last big hit to settle this?

Billam-Smith looks tired but he's taken so many of Okolie's big hits well throughout this fight. He's got the crowd firmly behind him now as Okolie glances him on the head with a decent right hand.

Into the final round and Okolie simply has to go for it here.

Okolie looks to know he is in trouble on the scorecards as he's going all out to stop Billam-Smith, who gas a cut opening up above his left eye.

There's more holding from Okolie and he's given another warning - he has to be really careful for the rest of this round.

Into the final 20 seconds and Okolie is looking for the right hand but he is caught by a left hook that seems to have take his balance and he falls to his knees again. He's counted down but is back on his feet before the bell.

Image source, PA Media

That cut near the left eye is becoming more of an issue for Wood in the fifth in Manchester. The blood is dripping down the side of the face and there is some frantic work to be done in his corner at the end of the round.

Promoter Eddie Hearn on Twitter: Wood dominating but Lara looks dangerous with every shot he throws...both have the ability to end this fight at any moment

A quieter fourth round, with both men have limited success to the body. In the last 30 seconds of the round, Lara goes up against the ropes, looking to draw his man in and counter, but Wood doesn't bite.

Blood by the left eye of Wood is a little concern of the Briton, but apart from that, it's going OK so far.

But, remember, Wood was ahead on the scorecards in the first fight before a dream left hook from Lara in the seventh changed everything.

After that wobble at the start, Okolie finishes the round strongly with some big hits but Billam-Smith is taking them. It's close as we enter the business end of the fight.

Image source, PA Media