It was the Hollywood ending that Tony Bellew had dreamed of, but he had to get off the canvas to be crowned world cruiserweight champion on Sunday night.
The Liverpudlian was decked late in the first round but got up to knock out Ilunga Makabu in the third round and claim the vacant WBC cruiserweight title in front of his own fans at Goodison Park, the home of Bellew's beloved Everton.
Bellew (27-2-1, 17 KOs), 33, launched a fierce and sustained attack in the third round that Makabu could not escape or recover from and a series of hooks ended with Makabu (19-2, 18 KOs) separated from his senses.
Bellew had played the role of a boxer who fought for the world title in Liverpool in the latest Rocky movie Creed last year.
But the real thing proved better for Bellew, who won a world title at the third attempt after losing shots at the world light-heavyweight title against Adonis Stevenson and Nathan Cleverly.
"Nothing was going to stop me tonight," said Bellew. "I've achieved all my dreams. Last time I saw something like this I was in a Hollywood movie, now it's for real.
"When I fight at this park, I'm the closest thing to Floyd Mayweather, no one can beat me.
"Denis Lebedev can come and fight me here, this is the real belt, or the b**** from Bermondsey [David Haye] if he wants to come down to his natural weight. I'm the best cruiserweight in the world."
South Africa-based Congo-born Makabu had halted 18 of his 19 victims and Bellew was given an early taster of his power.
Bellew began by giving southpaw Makabu plenty of respect by working patiently behind the jab, but towards the end of the round the Briton gained in confidence and unloaded a series of thudding blows with his opponent on the ropes.
But when Makabu found some space coming off the ropes, he caught Bellew flush on the chin with a left. Bellew went tumbling, doing a backwards roll, before taking a count from Makabu's first power punch of the fight.
But there was a quick turnaround in an explosive fight.
Bellew took no risks in the second round but in the third Bellew suddenly let his hands go and a series of left and right hooks landed flush on Makabu who was resting on the ropes.
A short left hook to the jaw left Makabu out before he hit the canvas after one minute, 22 seconds of the third round and Bellew sunk to knees in celebration. It was a few moments before Makabu recovered and Bellew was able to lift the WBC belt.
Bellew's triumph means Britain now has 13 world champions following Ricky Burns's success on Saturday in winning the WBA light-welterweight belt.
Britain's world champions are: (WBA-WBO heavyweight) Tyson Fury, (IBF heavyweight) Anthony Joshua, (WBC cruiserweight) Tony Bellew, (IBF super-middleweight) James DeGale, (WBO middleweight) Billy Joe Saunders, (WBO light-middleweight) Liam Smith, (IBF welterweight) Kell Brook, (WBA light-welterweight) Ricky Burns, (WBA lightweight) Anthony Crolla, (WBO lightweight) Terry Flanagan, (IBF featherweight) Lee Selby, (WBA bantamweight) Jamie McDonnell and (IBF bantamweight) Lee Haskins.