Jono Carroll dominated former world champion Scott Quigg in a non-title junior lightweight bout on Saturday, which left Quigg considering retirement.
Carroll was too fast, too fresh and too clever for Quigg, and the Irish southpaw got a much-needed boost after losing on points to American Tevin Farmer for the IBF junior lightweight title a year ago.
Quigg was a shadow of his former self, showing slower reflexes and movement before trainer Joe Gallagher did the right thing and threw in the towel in the 11th round with Quigg a sitting target on the ropes.
It was the third professional defeat for the 31-year-old Quigg, who was never in the fight after not boxing at all last year due to injury.
Carroll (18-1-1, 4 KOs), 27, from Dublin, was impressive with an array of punches.
"I feel like this is my time to shine," Carroll said. "Scott Quigg was one of my idols growing up and this is a dream come true. I'm starting to settle down, use my jab more. I'm starting to put the things I do in the gym into practice. ... I'm gaining my power, and I didn't feel I was gassing at any point. I showed quality."
While Carroll's career looks to be on the upward curve, Quigg (35-3-2, 26 KOs), 31, from Manchester, looked finished. He had not fought for 16 months and needed a win following a points defeat to Mexico's Oscar Valdez for the WBO world featherweight title two years ago.
"As soon as I got in there, it didn't feel like it was there," Quigg said. "I was just chasing it. I'm a realist and I don't kid anyone, this was a must-win fight. At my peak I would have won tonight. In my day, he wouldn't have lived with me.
"On this performance, I don't know what's left. I gave it everything and I want to support everyone who has come out to support me. I couldn't have achieved any more. I've been world champion, and had a great career. And if this is it, thank you everyone."
Since last fighting in October 2018, Quigg left trainer Freddie Roach's Wild Card Gym in Hollywood and returned to work with trainer Joe Gallagher in Bolton.
The time away was evident early on, as Quigg got off to a shaky start while Carroll was razor sharp. Carroll, who had trained for the fight in Philadelphia, earned the first round and troubled Quigg in the third with body shots and the speed of his punches.
Carroll's smooth movement was in contrast to Quigg. The Irishman picked apart Quigg in the fifth round with a series of combinations, while the former champion could not muster anything in return.
Quigg reigned as WBA world junior featherweight champion from 2013-2016 until being widely outpointed by Northern Ireland's Carl Frampton in a unification bout.
In another fight, Hughie Fury, cousin of WBC world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, raced to a confidence-boosting third round win over Pavel Sourto to get his career moving in the right direction again.
The English heavyweight lost a unanimous decision to Russia's Alexander Povetkin in August and needed a good performance. Fury delivered, and showed good accuracy from a southpaw stance.
Fury (24-3, 14 KOs), 25, got through with a great right hand to floor Czech Republic's Sour (11-3, 6 KOs) at the end of the second round before finishing the job early in the third. Fury, who has also lost to rival contenders Kubrat Pulev and Joseph Parker, is expected to be back in action again in May or June.
Zach Parker improved his hopes of fighting for a world super-middleweight title in 2020 after stopping Australia's Rohan Murdock (24-2, 17 KOs) in the 11th round with a left hand.
The win elevated Parker (19-0, 13 KOs), 25, from Derby, to the No 1 spot in the WBO rankings.
Billy Joe Saunders, Parker's English compatriot, holds the WBO belt, and is being linked to a May 2 fight with Canelo Alvarez. "If Billy Joe wants the fight, I'm ready," Parker said.