Terry Flanagan has recorded a points victory over Derry Mathews to successfully defend his WBO lightweight title.
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The Manchester-based fighter had promised a knockout but he had to make do with a unanimous decision in his favour, with the judges scoring it 117-110, 115-112 and 117-110 respectively.
The showdown at Liverpool's Echo Arena did not involve any punches that came near to bringing an abrupt halt to the contest, but it saw both men trade blows on a regular basis with Flanagan generally having the better of the exchanges.
The champion was warned about low blows and elbows throughout the fight and was docked a point in the eighth round, but it had no relevance on the final result as Mathews struggled to create openings.
By the closing six minutes, Flanagan had built a lead on the scorecards, and a strong finish ensured that both men knew the end result at the final bell.
Flanagan extends his unbeaten record to 30 matches, while Mathews has now lost 10 of his 50 outings as a professional.
Darren Plant
