As Tony Bellew discovered on Saturday, the problem with wishing for a fairytale ending is that it can so often end in tears.

Tempted to carry on fighting when the carrot of becoming the undisputed cruiserweight champion of the world was dangled in front of him, Bellew briefly threatened to pull off his cunning plan of morphing into the "belt robber" as he dubbed himself at Thursday's pre-fight press conference, with a career-defining performance.

The Liverpudlian enthralled the Manchester crowd for the best part of four rounds in the main event, frustrating the much-feted Oleksandr Usyk at times with his clever tactics and acts of showmanship.

Yet with every passing minute, the hopes of becoming the first British boxer to hold all four world titles in any weight division ebbed away. Usyk barely threw a punch in the opener but moved through the gears as the bout progressed, demonstrating his ruthless streak by systematically picking apart a tiring opponent no longer able to stem the tide.

The end came in the eighth, a right-left combination wobbling Bellew before another in a blink of an eye sent the challenger to the canvas.

It was a chilling knockdown, yet perhaps also a blessed relief. Bellew appeared to be running out of steam and ideas, and the stunning finish spared him from taking excessive punishment down the stretch. He was never going to quit, so the onus was on Usyk to do his opponent a favour by forcing a stoppage.

Bellew insisted in the aftermath it was his last hurrah in the pros. No more nights in the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham to work with trainer Dave Coldwell. No more exhausting treadmill sessions either, nor the need to worry about what it says when he steps on the scales.

The Everton fan has drained every last drop out of his career, recovering from setbacks – including losing in two world-title tilts – to fulfil a dream at his beloved Goodison Park, knocking out Ilunga Makabu to become the WBC champion in May 2016.

The vision of walking away holding his old belt – as well as the IBF, WBA and WBO versions too – disappeared when Usyk delivered the finishing blow.

Bellew can now enjoy the fruits of his labour. He talked the talk, without a doubt, but always attempted to back up his words with actions. British boxing will miss him, though his previous work in the media suggests he will not be too far away from the sport.

While the defeated fighter looks ahead to life outside the ring, it feels like Usyk is still only scratching the surface in terms of his career in the pros.

The Ukrainian has cleaned up at cruiserweight in just 16 fights, beating recognised names Marco Huck, Mairis Briedis and Murat Gassiev in their own territory. Bellew was the latest to step up to the plate only to swing and miss, despite his best efforts.

There are a lack of notable names left in the division for Usyk - the only way appears to be up.

"Usyk definitely needs to fight Anthony Joshua," Alexander Krassyuk – the southpaw's promoter, as well as his translator – told Sky Sports while a dazed Bellew was still trying to work out exactly what had happened.

Stepping into a crowded heavyweight scene will alleviate the need to watch his waistline while also increasing his earning potential. Joshua is clearly the long-term target, but he may have to be patient to get his wish. There is a quite a queue forming to have a crack at the reigning IBF, WBA and WBO champion.

His English is still a work in progress - even if Bellew insisted to the media it was better than Usyk let on during their media commitments together - but his humbleness and sense of humour, coupled with his undoubted talent, has won over a new audience.

It seems certain Usyk will be back in a British ring before too long - his future looks bright. Bellew, in contrast, is left to reflect on the past, safe in the knowledge he walked away with no regrets.