HORNDON-ON-THE-HILL’S Wayne Hibbert was better than his word at the O2 Arena at the weekend when he stopped Leonardo Esteban Gonzalez in the fifth round.

Hibbert had said he’d knock out his Argentinian rival in the eighth round to claim the vacant WBC International Light Welterweight belt.

But the bout was stopped in only the fifth round to the delight of Hibbert’s Essex fans as the Sky cameras recorded the bruising contest.

Hibbert proved too much for Gonzalez and brought his hard-hitting approach to the bout.

And afterwards he was on cloud nine.

He said: “I sounded him out in the first round because he had a good record and a reputation as a hard hitter.

“He caught me with a few, but by the end of that round I knew that there was no real threat there.

“These South Americans can hit you from some strange angles but I knew that I’d win it. I know that I’m the best light welterweight in the country at present.

“I’ve never been in better shape in my life and I knew that I was going to win.

“I was always going to come out on top as I was in there for my Grandad and my kids.”

Last week the 29-year-old dedicated the fight to his late grandfather John (who died almost exactly seven years ago) and his children, Lexie, five, Connor, two.

And now Hibbert is keen to “put right” his controversial loss to Dave Ryan in March last year. That 10-round contest – an eliminator for the English light-welterweight crown – was close - and the fight was only decided by a 97-95 score on referee Mark Green’s card.

The defeat still stings Hibbert who said: “Dave knows he lost that fight and I know he lost that fight, so he’s the one I’d really like to come up against next.

“There is unfinished business there and I feel that I’d be righting a wrong if it could be arranged,” he added.

But Hibbert is contracted to two more bouts on Barry Hearn’s Matchroom promotion and his weekend victory has seen him leapfrog several fighters he had previously been aiming at. Now the Benfleet Scrap Company sponsored fighter says he’d be happy to fight English title holder Tyler Goodjohn.

Hibbert said: “I’m a level above Tyler Goodjohn now, but I’d be happy to take him on if it could be arranged.

“All I know is that I fight well and I sell tickets so that’s what the promoters like.”