ST HELENS fighter Martin Murray made short work of Colombia’s Jose Miguel Torres – stopping him in the fifth round after inflicting a seventh knock down in the bout at the First Direct Arena in Leeds.

Although Murray started as hot favourite, he came into the fight wary of the Colombian’s punching prowess after he had won 27 of his 31 victories by knockout.

Fingerpost's finest need not have been to too concerned - flooring the South American seven times before the referee called a halt.

Murray set the tone early on, with a big left hand in the first round decking Torres.

Two more knockdowns in the second round followed, both courtesy of short right hands, before the outclassed Torres was floored again in the third.

It was clear the fight was not going to last much longer after Murray put his opponent down again twice more in the fourth.

And so when Torres hit the canvas again in round five referee Howard Foster waved it off to give Murray his third easy win in a row since moving up to super middleweight.

Murray said: "I was hoping I would get him out of there sooner.

"It was quite hard to pin him down, but I knew if I stuck to the game plan I would get him out of there."

After three easy televised wins since stepping up to super middleweight and signing with Matchroom Murray will be looking for sterner tests in the division as he builds towards having a crack at one of the world titles at 168lbs.