Alldis won a convincing points decision over durable Scotsman Shaun Anderson in front of a partisan crowd at the St Andrews Sporting Club.

Referee Terry O'Connor scored the contest 117-112 and that accurately summed up the difference in class.

But the fight was far from pretty and Alldis, who wanted to put on an impressive show in his first defence of the title he won last November, felt frustrated.

The 31-year-old said: "It was a terrible fight, all he wanted to do was hit and hold. He didn't want to fight at all.

"That was the worst performance I have had as a professional or an amateur. I am still British champion but I'm not pleased with it.

"Anderson came with a tactic, to try and steal the fight. But he was fighting for a British title, the best belt anyone can hold, and surely he could have put up more of a fight than that."

Alldis had stoked Scottish hearts by entering the ring wearing an England football shirt and the passion did not relent throughout.

The 30-year-old Anderson was the fourth successive southpaw Alldis had faced. But for all his hard work, he never really troubled the Sussex man.

Anderson was docked a point for persistent holding in the seventh round, but that had no influence on the final outcome.

Alldis had scored steadily behind his jab throughout and referee O'Connor's judgement emphasised that.

Confrontations between the two fighters at the end of the third and eighth rounds momentarily got the crowd going, but there was little else to shout about.

Alldis's manager Barry Hearn said: "It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win and Michael is now two fights away from keeping the Lonsdale belt.

Hearn also confirmed that Alldis's next opponent will be another Scotsman, Drew Docherty, possibly in Crawley later this year.

That is a contest which Alldis would relish.

"Drew Docherty is a finished article. If he really wants to fight me he will take the same beating as Michael Brodie gave him.

"I could fight him quite easily and I would fight him for nothing as well, but let's keep it for the Lonsdale belt."

l Heavyweight legend Earnie Shavers reckons Julius Francis has already lost his fight with Mike Tyson in Manchester next Saturday.

Double world title challenger Shavers reckons Tyson's intimidation factor rather than his power will prove the biggest obstacle to the Woolwich man's hopes of pulling off a shock.

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