Kevin O'Hara failed in his attempt to capture the Commonwealth super-featherweight title after losing a points decision to Ricky Burns at Glasgow's Bellahouston Leisure Centre on Friday night.
An explosive and enthralling 12-round encounter, which turned in to a brawl at times, saw O'Hara deducted a point in the ninth for using the head and Burns intermittently complaining about low blows and rabbit punches from the Belfast boxer.
The three judges looked through the aggression to find the class and scored it a unanimous 117-110, 115-113, 117-111 in favour of the Scotsman.
Burns, 26, with two losses in 28 fights, enjoyed a rousing reception on entering the ring resplendent in pink robes and trunks while O'Hara's small band of followers ensured a red hot atmosphere.
Burns, noticeably taller and with a greater reach, worked behind his jab and landed some swinging right hooks in the first round but O'Hara kept coming forward.
The Belfast boxer hinted at some explosive power but was almost too keen to throw the big punches, leaving himself exposed to a couple of sweet left hooks and one terrific body shot from the Coatbridge boxer.
The third round began with Burns showing his class and landing with one textbook right hook which shook O'Hara but the Irishman finished the round almost chasing Burns in rage.
O'Hara swung wildly and missed throughout the fourth round as the more tidier Burns, mostly working on the back foot, picked his punches with more precision.
The fifth produced little of note from either boxer but O'Hara was enjoying the brawl that the bout had turned in to by the sixth round, which he appeared to edge by aggression alone.
As the enthralling contest threatened to boil over at times, the little Belfast man refused to take a backward step.
Burns appeared uncomfortable in some clinches, his earlier class fading as he occasionally glanced to his corner for instruction, although he still showed the better technique when he steadied himself.
Round nine witnessed O'Hara being deducted a point by referee Terry O'Connor for the use of his head after several warnings earlier in the fight.
The encounter was building up to an exciting finale with Burns complaining about a low blow in the 10th round.
In the 11th fatigue appeared to be O'Hara's biggest enemy, an excuse which he might have used for what looked like another low blow landed on the Scotsman as another untidy three minutes unfolded.
The final round saw Burns move with more ease and confidence, landing some point-scoring right handers but the champion must have been glad to hear the final bell with his title still intact.
