Jazza Dickens played the spoiler role perfectly for a second time in five months and will leave Turkey with newfound leverage aplenty at 130lbs after punching Albert Batyrgaziev into submission during their headliner atop an IBA Pro event on Wednesday evening.

The 34-year-old (36-5, 15 KOs) is now the WBA's interim world junior lightweight titleholder after inflicting a career-first defeat for the Russian southpaw and stunning Istanbul into silence, where many expected he would fall short against a younger Olympic champion.

Lamont Roach, the WBA's existing 130-pound titlist, is set to rematch Gervonta Davis at lightweight on August 16 and it's unclear whether he'll continue campaigning in the division afterwards. If that proves the case, Dickens will be elevated to full world champion status.

The end came at 2:26 of the fourth round, Dickens producing his fastest stoppage victory for seven years - against a resume-altering opponent - and a morale-boosting result that comes two summers after Hector Andres Sosa stopped him in the 10th round for IBO honours, leaving him wondering about his future. His phone will not stop ringing now.

"It's a pleasure to be here, thanks to all my friends and family, management, what a night! Thank you Jesus," Dickens said as he kept it short and sweet in his post-fight speech.

Batyrgaziev (12-1, 8 KOs) showed his recovery powers after being dropped three times en route to a hard-fought 12-round decision win over Neri Romero on March 7, though history wasn't repeating itself against a stronger and inspired visitor with a secret weapon in hand.

Dickens pitched a solid opening round, establishing his jab and seizing centre ring early with head coach Albert Ayrapetyan in the corner. Ayrapetyan was in Jono Carroll's corner last summer as the Dubliner was stopped nine rounds into a competitive clash with Batyrgaziev and Jazza told The Ring of his renewed belief that wouldn't be the case for him.

You could see the subtle physical advantages were with the Liverpool man, shrugging the home favourite off him in their close-range exchanges and pressing forward where needed.

Both finished the second round with an inspired flurry to finish another competitive stanza, though Batyrgaziev tactially trying to punch with Dickens wasn't a wise idea. The older man defended combinations well by crouching low, making himself small and keeping a high shell guard as the 27-year-old tired himself out with flashy flurries but moving backwards.

In the fourth, that foreshadowed a fast-and-furious finish. Dickens left him on unsteady legs after connecting on an overhand left he didn't see coming, before the five-year pro staggered backwards and was all at sea on the canvas. Pride propped him back up to his feet far too quickly without gathering his bearings again and the end was soon nigh.

Despite tucking up and trying to survive, there was little resistance firing back at Dickens who was able to wing shots wildly and a big left hand left him sprawled in a heap as the ropes kept him from falling outside the ring entirely. He got back up, referee Gustavo Padilla began counting before his corner had seen enough, mercifully throwing the towel in.