The Briton was pushed hard by the Australian , who stood up to the 'Wrecking Ball' and returned fire with plenty of his own punches across an intriguing contest.

A trio of surprisingly wide scorecards suggested a greater level of dominance by the Liverpool fighter afterwards, to the surprise of many ringside at the ANB Arena.

Speaking immediately afterwards, Ball seemed to suggest a similar assessment, feeling that he came up short - but stressed that is what makes him a champion too.

"It was good," he said. "I'm still obviously a world champion, but it probably wasn't my best performance, in my honest opinion. But the main thing is that we got the job done.

"I'm still champion. I probably got hit a bit too much. Mostly it was on the gloves. I'll have to watch it back. That's what champions do, no matter what situation they're in.

They always come through. I just want to keep fighting and keep improving. Obviously being in with the other big names, the big title fights, that's the aim.

"It's a special trip. Every time I come over here, it's special to me. It's like my second home. I appreciate everyone who comes out. I wouldn't be here without any of them."

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