Dillian Whyte stopped Ebenezer Tetteh at the end of the seventh round in Gibraltar to make a winning return to action.

The former WBC interim heavyweight champion peppered the Ghanaian with punches to force a retirement.

The 36-year-old, fighting for the first time since beating Christian Hammer in Ireland in March, looked sharp as as he rocked Tetteh in the fourth round with a right hand.

The 36-year-old from Accra had blood dripping from his nose as he emerged for the fifth and was asked if he wanted to continue before the start of the next round before retiring after the bell in the seventh.

“I’m glad Tetteh stood up, he’s tough,” said Whyte. “I needed rounds, I need to get used to pacing rounds and using my jab.

“I’ve been off for a long time and my last fight was only three rounds.

“I was angry in that last fight so I just went in there for the kill and didn’t use my boxing skills.”

Whyte failed a voluntary drug test last year before a scheduled rematch with Anthony Joshua.

The Briton said in March he was then “cleared” to fight, but on Saturday fought in a bout sanctioned by Polish Boxing Union and not by the British Boxing Board of Control.

His win over Hammer was sanctioned by the Boxing Union of Ireland.