GLASGOW, Scotland — Dillian Whyte captured the vacant British heavyweight title with a controlled and classy display that eventually broke Ian Lewison’s resistance at the end of ten rounds.

Lewison was brave but fell apart suddenly in the tenth round, bothered by a nose injury, and was retired by his corner at the end of the round after Whyte had commanded most of their Friday night fight at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow.

Whyte (19-1, 14 KOs) is now targeting a first domestic title defence against Dereck Chisora, the former world title challenger, before what he hopes will be a rematch with Anthony Joshua (17-0, 17 KOs), the IBF world heavyweight champion, in 2017.

“I was trying to stop him early but I know how tough he is but I saw his nose was going from the fifth round so I stuck to the jab,” Whyte said.

“I took my time and I showed I can take a shot. I knew I had to win this belt for my career and I will move on to Dereck Chisora in December.”

The pair are both based in Brixton in south London and even used to train at the same gym, but they entered the ring after a bitter build-up. Lewison (12-3-1, 8 KOs) tipped the scales at 19 stones 7 pounds and was over a stone heavier than Whyte.

And Lewison, 35, made his weight felt in the opening round as he landed some right hands on his rival, who improved in the second. Jamaica-born Whyte, 28, showed some classy combinations late in the second as he assumed the ascendency and in the third whipped in hooks to the body.

Whyte, who had shoulder surgery following his seventh round stoppage loss to Anthony Joshua in December, was sharp with his punches and also skilful with slipping punches. Lewison kept marching forward but Whyte kept finding him with hooks to the body and put his jab to good use too.

Lewison shrugged off a big right uppercut in the fifth and in the sixth Whyte began landing his punches with more spite.

Lewison, who showed impressive endurance, looked laboured in the seventh as Whyte began catching him more regularly but he was not in any trouble until the tenth round when he became hampered by his damaged nose.

Lewison, who suffered a suspected broken nose, was not responding with punches by the end of the tenth round and his corner pulled him out before the start of the 11th. This was Whyte’s third win since losing to Joshua, who he caused concern early in their British title fight, and his next opponent is likely to be fellow Londoner Chisora.

Earlier, Lytham St Annes’ Scott Cardle made a successful defence of his British lightweight title with a six-round stoppage of Grimsby challenger Kevin Hooper.