Scott Fitzgerald admits sympathy for Ted Cheeseman after close British Championship contest goes Preston boxer's way

The 27-year-old fighter became British super-welterweight champion at the Newcastle Arena after he defeated the Londoner unanimously on points.

Fitzgerald was favoured on all three judges' scorecards 116-113, 115-113, 115-113.

Cheeseman, who was the defending champion, hit out at the decision to award Fitzgerald the win and has even questioned whether he has a future in boxing.

The bout was certainly close and Fitzgerald has sympathy with his vanquished opponent, admitting he did not feel he boxed his best over the 12 rounds.

He has blamed the fact that he put too much weight on following his win over Anthony Fowler in March, which he feels affected his performance.

"I would not say I won the fight comfortably," he told IFLTV. "If the final decision had gone his way, I probably wouldn't have complained.

"I did not feel that good at all. I just did not have the zap in punches and I felt sluggish

"I went up a lot in weight and a lot of the camp was spent on dragging that down, but that's only my fault."

Despite him not producing his best, Fitzgerald still did enough to win and by taking the Lonsdale belt, eh has achieved one of his childhood dreams.

"I am absolutely over the moon," he said.

"But I am talking a little bit down when I have got the British title.

"I got the win but whether the final scores were as wide as they were I don't know, I thought it was a lot closer than that."

Talk has now turned to a potential rematch with Cheeseman or indeed a second bout against bitter rival Fowler.

"There will be other things that I will be looking at first," said Fitzgerald. "I have already beaten Fowler.

"He's bound to be desperate for it, but I don't need it like he does

"But i will talk to my team and see where we got from there."