Charlie Edwards has knockout defeat overturned against Julio Cesar Martinez after being hit after knockdown

Edwards took a knee following a barrage of punches before being hit with a late body shot, with the WBC ruling the fight a no contest after a video replay

Charlie Edwards had his knockout defeat overturned after being hit on the canvas (Reuters)

Charlie Edwards has retained his WBC flyweight championship in controversial circumstances after Julio Cesar Martinez Aguilar saw his knockdown victory overturned to a no contest following a video replay.

A barrage of left hooks and uppercuts forced Edwards to hit the canvas but Martinez then landed a body shot with his opponent defenceless.

Fans inside the O2 Arena then booed the Mexican after watching the replays before Eddie Hearn made a passionate plea for the decision to be overturned.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman then entered the ring to confirm the result would be changed to a no contest due to the late blow, with an immediate rematch ordered.

“I truly believe in instant replay,” Sulaiman said. “The kid was hit while he was down. It was an accident.

"There’ll be an immediate rematch.”