Conlan vs Walsh: Kevin Walsh stuns Michael Conlan to secure points win in Belfast

Walsh danced to the ring, exuding the confidence of a man who had yet to taste defeat as a professional and despite being a long way from his home of Brockton, Massachusetts, he appeared right at home.

Conlan came out for the opening bell in the orthodox stance, but swiftly reverted to southpaw in what was an extremely cagey start from both, but a left hand from the Belfast man appeared to bring the challenger to life with Walsh getting through with right hands.

A gash had opened on Conlan’s forehead in the second – the result of a head clash – with blood flowing freely.

It remained cautious for the most part with Conlan seeking to find a home for the jab but they temporarily traded up close to close out the round and it was in this area where Walsh looked dangerous.

The American was feinting consistently and goading at times, seeking to draw Conlan’s lead but the Belfast man remained composed, refusing to over-commit as he sought a mistake from the American in a chess match of a fight.

Both appeared extremely respectful of the other’s power which meant the moments of note in the first half were fleeting and limited to single shots, but Conlan appeared to be having more of them as his footwork was leaving the American short during his sporadic raids, but he got an opportunity to work on the inside in the seventh from a brief exchange.

While the blood from Conlan’s earlier cut appeared to have stopped, a gash by his right eye was now a problem in the eighth which offered Walsh some encouragement, but still he didn’t fully press in the ninth aside from a brief moment towards the end of a round Conlan seemed to control with his movement.

The visitor did open the 10th and final round with intent but fully sustain the attack, yet he was pressing a little more and ultimately, it was enough to see him home.