Manchester light-heavyweight contender Lyndon Arthur scored his third win since Anthony Yarde took his unbeaten record with a 10-round decision over late-substitute Boris Crighton.

Arthur, who has sparred Glasgow’s Crighton in the past, was a worthy victor in Bolton at Bolton’s Whites Hotel winning unanimously by scores of 98-92, 96-93 and 99-91. In fact, he had dropped and hurt Crighton moments before the final bell but there was no time left to try and stop the Scot, who came in at 36 hours’ notice after original opponent Argentine Brian Suarez failed a medical.

Arthur, who split two fights with fellow 175 contender Yarde, was working behind the jab and Crighton was looking for his right hand without overcommitting in the early going.

The first two rounds were tepid with neither asserting themselves but in the third Arthur was caught circling to his left and walked onto a slashing right from Crighton that shook him and forced the Manchester man to hold.

Both tried feinting for openings in a quieter fourth. Arthur’s work was more refined but Crighton remained a threat, looking to time Lyndon with heavier shots.

Arthur was being supported ringside by his close friend, IBF flyweight champion Sunny Edwards, who was yelling instructions during the fight and he was trying to get his right hand going behind the jab but not often enough. And while the jab Arthur’s best punch, he used it to grab points here and there rather than to take control of the fight.

Crighton, who called the fight a win-win – and his stock has risen, was well in the contest but finally in the ninth Arthur landed the type of right hand he had been looking for all night.

Crighton had to try to hold this time. Arthur followed in trying to apply the finishing touches but Crighton did not only survive, he came on near the end of the session.

However, things opened up near the end of the 10th and final round. Crighton seemed to be the aggressor but Arthur landed another crunching right and this time Crighton’s legs buckled and he went down.

Referee Howard Foster picked up the count and as Crighton made it unsteadily back to his feet, but the final bell sounded and Crighton had crossed the finished line, all be it in second place.

“It was a completely different style I was training for,” admitted Arthur, now 22-1 (15KOs). “I wasn’t buzzed [referring to the third-round right hand], he just didn’t catch me clean enough. It was a good 10 rounds for me before a bigger fight.”

Crighton is now 10-2 (7KOs).

Kalle and Nisse Sauerland’s Wasserman Boxing promoted the show on Channel 5 in the UK.