Carl Froch retained his British super-middleweight title as he saw off Runcorn's former WBC champion Robin Reid at Nottingham Arena after a shoulder injury forced the challenger's corner team to retire their man at the end of the fifth round.

Froch, 30, the current WBC number two, had been in outstanding form last time out, registering a second-round stoppage victory over Russian Sergei Tatevosyan.

In 36-year-old Reid, he was taking on a former Olympic bronze medallist who, in a 14-year professional career, has been in with the division's very best, including Joe Calzaghe, against whom he lost a contentious decision at the WBO title in 1999.

The Nottingham fighter, in front of a noisy home crowd, was the first to trouble the scorers, catching Reid with a heavy left hook to the head and following up with a double right.

Reid found himself on the canvas late in the second round having taken what looked like a clean right hook to the temple but Edmonton referee Dave Parris judged the shot to be more of a push and no count was given.

There was no doubting though the combination to the head which dropped Reid to one knee in his own corner in the dying seconds of the third round.

Rallying somewhat in the next Reid scored with a pair of heavy hooks to the head but ominously Froch looked unconcerned.

Reid needed a second count late in the fifth from which he rose as the referee's count reached nine, having taken a solid right to the head and his corner saved him from any further punishment by retiring their man with an injured right shoulder.