JOHN Wayne Hibbert called it redemption as he finally got the better of old rival Dave Ryan to become the Commonwealth light-welterweight champion.

Hibbert stopped Ryan in dramatic fashion at the O2 Arena on Saturday night to not only pick up the rainbow belt of Commonwealth champion but to win back his WBC International championship belt.

The Horndon-on-the-Hill fighter had twice previously lost to Ryan.

And he told the Echo in the build-up to the fight if he lost for a third time it was likely he would quit.

Things were not going to plan for Hibbert for much of the fight.

He was put down by a nasty Ryan body shot in the sixth round and most pundits had the Derby fighter well ahead on their scorecards before he pulled a muscle in his back in the 10th round.

Sensing his opportunity, Hibbert went in for the finish and produced a fiercesome right hand that shook Ryan to the core and led to the stoppage.

Afterwards Hibbert said to Sky Sports: “One word: redemption. It was such a tough fight. It was different to the last one – much more technical. Ryan is awkward and such a tough warrior. For him to pull out like that, it must have been very serious because he’s a hard man.

“I tell you what. He isn’t having a rematch. He can have the 2-1! I didn’t know he’d done his back in and I caught him with a good shot. I listened to my corner and they told me I had to put it on in the last few rounds.

“If I had carried on like that I’d have won the fight. He caught me with a really good body shot in the sixth round and that really hurt, but I thought about my children and I said I’d bring the belt home to my daughter, Lexie.”