A SUMMER showdown with Commonwealth champion Chris Billam-Smith is next for Tommy McCarthy after the West Belfast man's impressive sixth-round stoppage win over Alexandru Jur in Manchester on Saturday night.

'Mac Attack' promised an explosive performance in the build-up and after warming into the contest in the opening couple of rounds, he did just that by dropping the Romanian in the fourth and stopping him after 2.09 of the sixth round.

It was another big win for McCarthy who is knocking on the door for a world title and that will likely be deliver should he overcome Billam-Smith at a planned Matchroom Fight Camp in July, and he will be full of confidence after stopping Jur with little fuss.

"I'm delighted with my performance," he told Sky Sports after.

"I said I was training for a stoppage and knew Jur was going to be tough. He was hard to pin down because of his experience but once I heard Eddie (Hearn) shouting 'come on Tommy - get him out of there' I stoped him.

"I'm working with the best coach on the world - Pete Taylor - and we're doing technical stuff day-in day-out and technique.

"My mindset, I was always second-guessing myself throughout my career, but now my confidence is through the roof and I'm boxing to my ability."

McCarthy goes on the attack
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McCarthy goes on the attack

Both came out jabbing with Jur targeting the body, but McCarthy's was crisper and he began to get into a rhythm as the opening round progressed, bringing his right into play.

The trend continued in the second with McCarthy popping the jab and landed with a solid right to the body as Jur seemed content to stay at distance and sparingly jab to the midriff.

The pace increased in the third with the Belfast man on the front foot a little more as his output increased and began to look for the power shots with Jur on the retreat for the most part.

This was a fight on McCarthy's terms and at his pace as he continued to dominate.

There was a sense that he was starting to make a dent in Jur and towards the end of the fourth, he felted with the right then sunk a left to the body had had the Romanian on the deck. He beat the count and saw out the round, but it was in full survival mode in the fifth.

McCarthy was given something to think about early in the sixth as he was tagged by a right, but this was a fleeting moment for Jur who was looking ready to go and McCarthy found the punch to do it with another left dropping Jur and this time he was unable to get up.

Promoter, Eddie Hearn used the post-fight interview to announce that the Billam-Smith fight is done and said the winner will be in line for a shot at the world title.

"It is made," he confirmed.

"Tommy has already put open to paper on that and so has Chris Billam-Smith. That fight is on as part of a huge Fight Camp this summer. Commonwealth title, European title and the British title we've applied for and expect that to be sanctioned by the British Boxing Board of Control. 

"It's a proper domestic fight and when you talk about proceeding top a world title, sometimes you need that flagship fight for people to get excited about.

"I think the winner of that should go onto fight for a world title. Tommy is well ranked in the world and another win tonight so have him higher again.

"Jur came to survive tonight and that's why I was shouting at him to get on top, beat him up and get rid of him.

"Chris Billam-Smith is a different animal and it's a tremendous fight. Two top cruiserweights looking to get a shot at the world title and a fight like that will have everyone talking about it so the profile starts to rise."

Jur was down and out in the sixth
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Jur was down and out in the sixth

McCarthy lit the fuse ahead of the Billam-Smith fight by claiming it will be an easy night's work for him and insists the Englishman has no standout wins on his résumé.

It promises to be a fun build-up with the Belfast man also stating his dislike for the Commonwealth champion's coach, Shane McGuigan, and feels this fight is the one he wants outside of a world title challenge. 

"I have been saying from I won the title that I would love a crack at any of the world champions: Makabu, Breidis or Okolie who is with Matchroom," he insisted.

"If none of the champions have balls to fight me the Chris Billam-Smith can get the 'boom boom' - I'll slap the head off him.

"I don't know Chris Billam-Smith but his coach is an eejit. Birds of a feather flock together and rats run in packs. I don't like Shane and I don't like Chris because he's getting on like an eejit.

"It's not going to be much of a different fight (than tonight). He'll be trying to survive. I don't know why anyone thinks Chris Billam-Smith is any good because you saw what he did in his last fight and he hasn't fought anyone of any use."