HARLOW boxer Steve Murray was crowned WBO Intercontinental Lightweight Champion in style after stopping Russian Victor Baranov in the fifth round at the York Hall, Bethnal Green, on Saturday.

Murray who was keen to take up the vacant belt dished out some cracking combinations through out the bout, which saw the Russian hit the canvas in the third and again in the fifth before the fight was finally stopped.

The Harlow lightweight was however made to work hard, as Baranov who has fought many a tough bout during his 11-year career withstood some stinging attacks with a solid defence in the opening rounds.

The 26-year-old Essex man stepped up the gears in the third, but while he knocked his opponent down Baranov, the Russian was straight back up on his feet and managed to land a few shots through Murray's defence.

Baranov then settled in the next round and easily beat the Harlow fighter to the big scoring points.

But Murray landed a great left hook at the start of the fifth before he rained in with a series of blows from all angles, which led the ref to intervene and stop the contest in the second minute.

He said: "I was happy with my performance, even though I fell asleep a couple of times.

"He was a tough, world-rated opponent, who has only been beaten by the best, but I did the job in the fifth.

"I was feeling fine after the fight and I only had a headache the next day because I had a hangover from celebrating."

Murray is however unsure what his next step will be in the ring, as bitter rival and British lightweight champion Bobby Vanzie is now having to wait until late April to fight co-challenger Sandro Casamonica for the vacant European title, following an injury to the Italian.

But while Murray would relish the chance to avenge his May 2001 defeat to Vanzie, when he was stopped in seven rounds despite scoring two heavy first-round knockdowns, he is not sure if the Bradford fighter would be as keen to stage a rematch.

And he added: "He has said he might have another defence of the British title and I would love to fight him again, but I would prefer it to be for both the British and European titles.

"It is a waiting game at the moment to see what he does, but if he could find another route other than fighting me I reckon that is the one he would want to take.

"He has already said after the fight in May that I am the last person he wants to face and the hardest he has come up against.

"So he won't want to go over that old ground again, because I would be confident of beating him next time.

"However, my promoter Frank Warren has said he is going to keep me busy now and the other road we can go down is to set-up a shot at the WBO World title, which I certainly feel ready for having a crack at."