MALMESBURY boxer Joe Hughes dug deep to earn an impressive draw with defending British super-lightweight Tyrone Nurse in Leicester this evening.

The 26-year-old went into the ring with the British title on the line and took the fight to his much-fancied opponent in the early rounds.

With Nurse boasting a superior reach, Hughes had to box clever on the inside and did well to wrap up his opponent, who had been out of action since September last year, in the first three rounds.

Nurse, 27, was able to create more space for himself in round four and start to find his more natural style at distance but Hughes kept him honest with an effective jab.

Hughes, who vacated his English super-lightweight title for the bout, landed some nice punches in round six and at the halfway stage, Nurse knew he was in a much closer contest than he and the pundits had anticipated.

Nurse looked sound in round seven to just edge it but was drawn straight back in to a close-quarter contest by Hughes in the eighth, with an early left upper cut catching his opponent sweetly.

The contest continued to ebb and flow between the two contrasting styles in the closing rounds before ending in the most open round of the night in the 12th, with Hughes looking a bit wild as he tried to clinch the fight before going to the judges.

However, the fight was decided on the scorecards, with on judge going in favour of Nurse, 116-113, on leaning towards Hughes, 115-113, while the third and final judge called the fight 115-115, leaving both fighters likely to take to the ring again to decide a winner.