'Classless' Ben Whittaker stops Liam Cameron
In the end, it was a massive anti-climax that left a bad taste in the mouth.
Ben Whittaker stopped Liam Cameron in two rounds to end the fairy story of the Sheffield fighter's return to the top table of boxing.
His unanswered barrage on the ropes, triggered initially by a heavy right hand to the head and two body shots, was enough for Howard Foster to step in.
That set the scene for two unpalatable things to happen - absurd online allegations against one of Britain's best-ever referees and a silly bust-up in the corner as Whittaker taunted Cameron's corner team.
Some fans thought Foster had intervened far too early. But it's his responsibility to try and limit physical damage to boxers, and he did what he thought was right.
You couldn't say that about Whittaker, as he stuck his head through the ropes to roar at Grant Smith and the Steel City team.
Commentator Dave Coldwell hit the nail on the head by labelling him "classless."
When the dust settled after the rematch, underdog Cameron (previously 23-6-1) will regret that he couldn't convert the energy from his best-ever training camp into a strategy that could cope with the relentless puncher.
The Manor estate 34-year-old reckoned he'd deserved a win, rather than a draw, in last October's meeting with Whittaker at the Kingdom Arena, Riyadh.
But that was all in the rear view mirror as Whittaker retained the IBF International Light Heavyweight title at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham in quick order.
He won the fight, and probably won't be too bothered that he has made more enemies than friends in the boxing community.