Arthur looked strong despite not fighting since April

Palomo received standing counts in the first two rounds as Arthur hit him with a right and then a swinging left hook.

The Edinburgh fighter looked too strong for Palomo and he put him to the canvas again in the fifth round and this time the referee ended the fight.

Arthur is now expected to line up a world title bout in 2007.

Report: Arthur ready for title defence

"Palomo had a really big heart and he was really quick," said Arthur. "But I wanted to get the job done quickly.

"I'm coming up through Frank Warren's stable behind Joe Calzaghe and I want to get up to that level now."

Warren, who Arthur credited with advising him to land the winning punch from his ringside seat, said he wants to arrange a world title tilt for the Edinburgh boxer next summer.

Arthur had not stepped into the ring since April, when he made the second defence of his crown against Sergey Gulyakevich.

Willie Limond got the partisan crowd in the mood by claiming the vacant Commonwealth lightweight crown on the undercard.

The Glaswegian notched up a convincing points win over Ghana's African champion Kpakpo Allotey in his first match as a lightweight.

Limond's opponent was given a standing count in the very first round but, despite feeling the force of another right hook, Allotey hung in until the last bell.