Stretch won the WBC International Light Middleweight title, beating Ramon Angel Alegre at the London Arena on 14 February 1990, the fight billed as Valentine's Day Massacre. Stretch stopped the tough Argentine in the 6th round of a very one sided contest. Stretch relinquished the title due to a management dispute with Frank Warren and subsequently sat out his contract. Stretch's return to the ring came in 1991 when he challenged Chris Eubank for the WBO world middleweight championship in London, in a fight billed as "Beauty V the Best". Stretch suffered a cut behind the ear in the first round and was shaken by an uppercut in the third. Eubank visited the canvas twice in the fight without a count, in the second and third rounds, and was cut badly in the fourth round by a straight left hand from Stretch. The Doctor was called at the end of round 5 to look at Eubank, (the cut later needed several stitches) advising the Referee to stop the fight. The Referee gave the Eubank corner the go ahead for 'one more round'. In the sixth round Stretch had a point deducted for pushing Eubank onto the canvas; Stretch was then shaken by a right hand from Eubank and subsequently took a standing eight count. Stretch was then pushed through the ropes. The fight was stopped in Eubank's favor, a stoppage that was very controversial. Stretch was through the ropes, struggling to regain his feet when the Referee stepped in.. All three judges had Stretch ahead on the scorecard at the time of the stoppage.