Lloyd Ellett was crowned the new International Masters light-middleweight champion tonight with an impressive third round knockout.

The undefeated Brighton fighter wore a Michael Jackson mask and came out to the track Thriller at the Metropole Hotel in his home town.

It proved the perfect theme as Gergo Vari was stopped 22 seconds into the third round by a devilish right hand on the Friday Fright Night show.

Albion fan Ellett dominated the first round.

He chased his Hungarian opponent around the ring, backing him into corners and loading up with body shots against his taller opponent.

But it was a right hand straight down the pipe which gave a glimpse of what was to come.

A clash of heads flustered Vari in the second round and he charged forward on the attack only to be decked by another right hand.

Vari took the count and then survived a series of attacks for the remainder of the round as Ellett sensed an early finish.

The third round was only 22 seconds old when Ellett produced an almost carbon-copy feint to the left and straight right which again sent Vari to the canvas and he was unable to come back from that one.

Ellett, the British Masters and international masters bronze champion, said: "It feels great, more so because it was such a good finish to the fight."

He added: "I started fast because he is tall and you cannot allow him to get into a rhythm.

"I was feinting and using the jab but not rushing. I started fast but I did not go like a lunatic and picked my shots.

"There was a lot of power in my shots. He was tall so you have to break the body."

Ellett, who moved to 16 wins as a professional, insisted the power was nothing new. And nothing to do with going to Las Vegas for sparring earlier this year.

He said: "It's not going to Vegas that has brought the power on.

"A lot of people have said that but the power has always been there."

More reaction from the show in The Argus on Monday.