Conor Quinn: Belfast boxer suffers first professional defeat by Conner Kelsall

It was certainly a bit of a chess match as Kelsall was boxing clever as Quinn could not quite get sustained pressure against an ever-moving target that was darting in an out on occasion to score.

Quinn enjoyed a good eighth as he seemed to be catching up with Kelsall, the body work slowing him a little and starting to thud home and had another good round in the ninth with his timing now a little better as he put punches together.

But Kelsall was disciplined in his approach as his movement was not allowing Quinn to take this by the scruff and make it a fight on his terms, content to box and move.

It seemed to be a case of what you like, Kelsall’s jab excellent all night but Quinn delivering a nice combo and vicious body shot in a close 11th.

Kelsall certainly thought he was the winner as he took on on a victory lap with 20 seconds to go, Quinn allowing him to do it as he too thought he had done enough.

But as it was, the visitor would take the title and improve to 12-0, while Quinn slips to 9-1-1.

Earlier in the night, Belfast’s Colm Murphy claimed the ‘silver’ Commonwealth featherweight title as a bloodied Jack Turner was stopped in the 10th and final round on cuts.

Another native from the south of the city, James McGivern, produced a KO of the year contender as he flattened previously undefeated Rashid Omar in the second with a beauty of a left to retain his BUI Celtic lightweight title and improve to 9-0.

In the co-main, Pierce O’Leary was at his brilliant best to win the battle of Dublin, dropping Darragh Foley in the third with an uppercut en route to a shutout points win. Australia-based Foley was all heart, but just could not match ‘Big Bang’ who is now perfect through 15.