Garnett lost in the semi-finals against eventual champion Lewis McGrillen last year but has come back stronger in 2025 to reach the final.

The 37-year-old needed a decision to get beyond Finland’s Tuomas Gronvall in July and looked like he was set to go the distance again at Zenith Nantes Metropole.

After a back-and-forth two rounds, which saw Cieplowski getting the better of exchanges on the feet and Garnett enjoying more success on the ground, there was no clear indication of how the fight would end when they touched gloves for the final round.

But Garnett found his opponents’ neck when a tired Cieplowski lunged forward and the Liverpudlian made sure the judges weren’t required as he sunk in a guillotine.

“I respect Cieplowski a lot but it’s my time now,” Garnett said on Dazn.

“He thought I’d get tired in round three but I knew when he started wrestling that he was ready to get out of there.

“I’ll be ready for that final in December – I should have been there last year.”