Huddersfield star Tyrone Nurse said he “enjoyed every minute” as he scored a cracking unanimous points victory over Tommy Coyle to retain his British light-welterweight title.

The 26-year-old completed a second successful defence of the Lonsdale Belt on the big Sky TV bill at the Leeds Arena on Saturday night, getting the verdict from all three judges.

Howard Foster from Doncaster and Ian John-Lewis of Gillingham scored it 115-113 in Nurse’s favour, while Victor Loughlin from Barrhead made it 116-112.

This was despite Nurse being adjudged to have been knocked down by a surprise left in the seventh round – even though it was more of a slip – as Coyle gave it everything to become Hull’s first ever British champion.

“It was a cracking fight and I knew Tommy would turn up and put in a shift – I really appreciate that,” said Nurse, who prepared with his best ever training camp under dad and trainer Chris Aston.

“I enjoyed every single minute of it and it’s always good to get another notch on the belt.

“To be honest, I enjoyed having a good hard scrap because you feel you’ve earned the win and really achieved something.

“I could have done things a little bit easier to be fair, but I obliged Tommy in going to war, when I could have beaten him on the outside, and beat him at his own game.”

Nurse added: “I wasn’t sure how moving up a weight would affect Tommy, whether he would be strong at it or whether he was just taking it because he’d got an opportunity, but, to be fair, he was very strong.

“His punching has never really affected me in any way. I’ve never though ‘oh my God that was hard’ or ‘I don’t want you to hit me with one of them again’ but he was game and he wanted the belt, so he put everything into it.”

While the 12-round fight appeared even at the half way stage, Nurse slipped to the canvas in the seventh round and it was counted as a knockdown, costing him two points.

“If I remember rightly, I was stepping and throwing a jab and he was throwing one at the same time, but my foot slipped on the sponsor stuff on the canvas,” recalled the former Newsome High student from Crosland Moor.

“It was quite slippy and wet by that time and I wasn’t bothered by it, more embarrassed.

Boxer Tyrone Nurse with his British Super Lightweight Lonsdale Belt.

“I thought the referee would count it as a slip, so when he counted it as a knockdown I just smiled and shook my head.

“I wasn’t worried because I always felt I was a few rounds ahead and, while I was fighting him at his own game, I was never tired and always thought I would win by a good few rounds.”

So what of the future?

“I’ve said many times whatever comes next will come,” he explained.

“If a world title shot comes then it would be hard to say no, but everyone wants to win a Lonsdale Belt outright.

“So if it’s Jack Catterall next with me having the chance to do that, then so be it, it will be a hell of a fight.”

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There have been suggestions Nurse could be offered a shot at Ricky Burns’ WBA world title, while Catterall is the mandatory challenger for the light-welterweight belt (also known as the super-lightweight division).

Coyle was tremendously sporting in defeat and tipped Nurse to ‘go all the way’.

In tears after the verdict, Coyle said: “I’m gutted because I really didn’t see myself getting beaten, but Tyrone will go all the way because he is a slick, horrible fighter to fight.

“He is a credit to British boxing and it was an honour to share a ring with him.”

Boxer Tyrone Nurse with his British Super Lightweight Lonsdale Belt.

Sky TV pundit Johnny Nelson believes Nurse should stick to the domestic route next.

The former world champion said: “It was a match made in heaven in terms of punching power, pace and familiarity between Nurse and Coyle.

“Tommy had a gameplan which was to jump on Tyrone and make a fast start, and it worked perfectly as he stuck on his chest.

“I was very surprised Tyrone stayed on the inside because he made life harder for himself, but when he got his boxing skills together, Tyrone was so slick and skilful

“I think he should now clean up at domestic level.”