Champion Anthony Ayinde lived up to his own billing to retain his Queensbury League novice welterweight title on Saturday night.

In his first defence of the title, the 22-year-old Kingston man beat challenger Kane Baker by a split decision at the Millennium Effingham Park Hotel.

In the build up to the biggest show of the QBL season, Ayinde had promised his fans that nobody would be taking his belt away from him after winning it back in September in a grudge match against rival Ashley Dansie, and he was proved right.

Ayinde said: “I did what I said I was going to do against a good opponent who gave me a really tough fight.

“He was taller and had a longer reach, which did cause me a few problems, but as I’ve said to everyone, now that I’m champion no one is going to take this title off of me as I’ve worked too hard to get it.”

He added: “I’m in this sport to entertain and I want to be in tough fights that the fans want to come and watch, and I’m still improving every day.”

Ayinde’s long-term rival Dansie was also in action, winning his eliminator to fight for the title again next year, and Ayinde welcomes another collision with him.

“It’s one apiece between me and Dansie, but I’m the champion now.

“I’ll be happy to fight him again and beat him again.”