Boxer 'Pretty' Ricky Boylan is the new king of Carshalton after beating Tony Owen in four rounds to claim the Southern Area light-welterweight crown.

The 25-year-old beat fellow Carshalton boxer Owen by a technical knock-out at the ExCeL Arena late on Saturday night, curtailing the champion’s reign to less than 12 minutes.

While Chessington gym owner Owen will regroup and wait on his options in the new year, Boylan, who is unbeaten in 10 bouts, will face either Tyler Goodjohn for the vacant English title, or a mandatory title defence against Essex man John Wayne Hibbert.

Boylan said: “This Southern Area title means the world to me – I’m over the moon. I’ve had 10 hard weeks in training camp for this. I put everything into it.

“I sold 425 tickets, my support has been amazing and I can’t be thankful enough. To have that sort of support this early in my career is brilliant.

“I’ll have to wait to see what comes up next, but I have been put back a bit because Tony perforated my eardrum in the first round and I cannot train for eight weeks.”

Boylan and Owen are close friends and it was Owen, 26, who had the upper hand for the opening three rounds.

The fight appeared to be drifting away from challenger Boylan until the mid-way point of the fourth round, when he caught Owen with a left hook that shook the champion.

After taking an eight count, Owen was subjected to a Boylan onslaught before the referee stepped in.

Boylan, who began learning his boxing trade at Rose Hill ABC, said: “I’ve got to give full credit to Tony Owen for beating me literally for three rounds.

“It was always my game plan to get in to him and behind his punches, and as soon as I hurt him in the fourth I knew he was gone.

“It was the right call from the ref to end it. Tony’s a top bloke and I wish him well for the future.”

Owen admitted it was back to the drawing board in 2014.

“After the fight, when we were still in the ring, Rick said: ‘Sorry about that’ and I told him ‘Shut up, I would have done the same thing’,” he added.

“Rick phoned me on Sunday to make sure we were OK, and we are. It’s the sport we’re in, and we knew that when we went into the ring.

“I am pleased for Rick, but I was frustrated with myself. I felt in control for the first three rounds.

“I’ll take some time out and enjoy Christmas, then we’ll regroup and see what offers are on the table in 2014.”